The Cliché
by Vinividivinci
Summary: Life is about to change for Jack and Sam. All it took was alien interference and a few clichés.
1. Chapter 1

_**So, I figured that writing four stories at one time wasn't enough, so I've started a new story. The reason for this is that while struggling with serious health issues I decided I needed a less serious, angsty story - and this popped into my mind.**_

 _ **The reason for the title will quickly become apparent as this story is based on hundreds of others - including my own. It is rife with cliche's and old plots, but hopefully I will add something new and different. If you want me to continue, please review. I do promise to stay on my other stories - I will complete them! I just needed something light.**_

 _ **Hope you enjoy ...**_

It was a cliché of the worst sort and there was nothing Jack hated more than clichés. Of course this one was to have more affect on him than just to irritate him – this cliché was going to change his life.

It had started simply. He and the rest of Sg1 were sent to a boring planet to do the usual "check for weapons, check for nacquada, check for ruins, check for aliens, check for Jaffa, check for overdressed Goa'uld". Yup – check, check, check and then back home to watch a game or the Simpsons, to order pizza and drink beer and go to bed alone and get up the next day and do it all over again.

It showed a remarkable lack of gratitude, Jack realized, that he'd begun to grow bored with travelling to distant planets. Of course it wasn't always boring – the boredom _was_ interspersed with running for their lives, fighting megalomaniacal aliens, a bit of torture thrown in now and then, and having to save the world. Those things weren't boring but mostly he could do without them.

What he did want, exactly, he didn't know. His life had turned out better than he thought it would a few years ago, after he'd lost –. But still, life was pretty good. He had job security – unless he got blown up, shot or zatted three times – he had good friends, his health and – he could go to other planets. It was all good – so why he'd been feeling so angsty he didn't know.

But then they'd gone to planet X3B-o-RNG and suddenly life had – changed. It was something he hadn't expected - wouldn't have imagined in a million years - and he didn't know what to do about it.

They'd arrived on the planet as usual, he'd checked the perimeter, waited for Daniel to get his gear in order, teased Carter and nodded at Teal'c. Shortly thereafter they were walking down a rough trail – probably made by animals, not by people, and, as yet, hadn't seen anything of interest. There were trees – there were always trees – but nothing in, on, above or under those trees that interested him – or any of his teammates.

Daniel hadn't seen anything to indicate people had been here, at least not for a long, long time and he quickly began to lose interest in the planet. There didn't appear to be any threats and, although Teal'c kept a close watch out, Jack could see that his alien friend was also looking rather bored.

Sam – Carter – of course kept a sharp eye out for anything unusual. She was an incredibly good officer and he knew he could always count on her to stay alert. This time he noticed that she too was appearing relatively relaxed. It looked like this planet really _was_ boring.

"So campers, any ideas about what direction we should go?" Jack asked as they trudged down the path. He'd seen a fork in the trail ahead and they'd have to decide which one to take.

"Left," Daniel muttered.

"Left? Okay – why left?"

Daniel shrugged. "We usually go right. I thought it might be interesting to go left this time- see what's – not right."

"Funny Daniel. Alright, left it is."

"Is that a valid reason to go left O'Neill?" Teal'c questioned. "Many people believe that the right is the superior direction, the direction of the gods."

Jack sighed. "You wanna go right? Fine, we go right."

"But we always go right Jack," Daniel whined. "I thought you said we could go left this time. Come on, let's be bold."

"Yes, left is really bold," Jack sighed and rolled his eyes. Carter, as yet, hadn't said anything. "Carter, what's your opinion? Right or left?"

"Why don't we wait until we get there Sir, then we can see each of the trails and make the decision then."

Jack smiled. "That's why you're my 2IC Carter – you're brilliant!"

"Yes Sir," she grinned, knowing full well that the Colonel was already planning to do exactly that. She also knew that this whole discussion was his way of keeping himself, and his team, from dying of boredom on this – really – boring planet.

They arrived a few minutes later at the fork and all of them carefully looked down the left trail and then the right – and then repeated the process.

"They appear to be the same O'Neill," Teal'c finally pointed out.

"Yeah, I kind of got that Teal'c. Carter? Daniel? Any ideas?"

Carter was holding out one of her techno-wonders and pointing it down first one path and then the other. "I'm reading a faint EM signature Sir," she said, a slight frown on her face. All of them knew that that frown was not one just of concern – but rather one of excitement and "ooh goody – a new piece of technology to find, investigate and beg the Colonel to bring back to Earth".

Jack considered carefully. Carter had a way of convincing him, against his better judgment, to do just that. But he was learning – no one could accuse him of being slow. Taking back alien technology often had a way of going FUBAR – just ask him. Spending a day hanging on the gate room wall, like a particularly large bug, had taught him a thing or two.

Still, they _were_ out here looking for technology to help them fight the Goa'uld… He sighed. "Which path Major?"

"Uh – both Sir," she replied.

"Well _that_ doesn't help us," he scowled. Decisions, decisions! Heck, that's why he made the mediocre bucks and why it said Colonel on his uniform.

Jack considered for a few more moments and then finally made up his mind. "Teal'c, you and Daniel check out the left path and Carter and I'll go right. Keep in radio contact and we'll meet back here at," he looked at his watch, "1400 hours."

"Good, we get to go left," Daniel smirked.

"We may regret it Daniel Jackson," Teal'c answered ponderously as he moved to their left. "We will see you shortly O'Neill, Major Carter. Be cautious."

"You too Teal'c." Jack watched as the two men wandered off down the left hand trail and then turned and grinned at Carter. "Come on Major, we're off to see the Wizard!"

"Yes Sir," she smiled and followed her CO, feeling a sudden urge to skip.

They'd been walking for almost an hour with Sam enjoying the view of her CO's six and allowing herself to daydream – just a little bit. She was almost startled then when the Colonel stopped suddenly and whistled softly.

"Oh Danny's gonna be ticked," he said softly.

Carter looked around the broad shoulders of the man in front of her and wanted to whistle as well. "Oh yeah Sir," she breathed, " _really_ ticked." For there in front of them was what looked almost like a fairy tale castle – at least it was white and big like a castle although even Jack could tell the architecture was not anything like the castles of Europe.

"Whatya think it is Major?" he asked after staring for a few seconds.

"Uh, no idea Sir." She held up her instrument. "There are EM readings coming from inside."

"Dangerous?"

"No, they don't appear to be. They're relatively low level."

"So, do we chance going inside?" O'Neill mused. Carter didn't say anything knowing that the Colonel was speaking mostly to himself.

He pulled his radio out of his vest. "Teal'c?"

"I am here O'Neill."

"Carter and I found some kind of building. We're gonna check it out. We'll check back in 30 minutes."

"Roger that O'Ne –"

"Hey Jack," Daniel's voice interrupted Teal'c and Jack could picture Daniel snatching Teal'c's radio rather than actually bothering to use his.

"What Daniel?"

"What kind of building is it? Can you tell what type of architecture it is? Is there evidence of Goa'uld influence? Is there any writing -"

" _Daniel_ ," Jack practically shouted into the radio. "I don't know, which is why Carter and I are going to check it out. No, no and no, not that I can tell. Now we'd like to actually go look at it now."

"Okay Jack but can you take some pictures? Maybe I should come – _Teal'c_!"

Jack heard low mumbling and higher pitched whining and then Teal'c came back on. "I am sorry about that O'Neill. We shall speak with you in 30 minutes."

"Thanks Teal'c. Over." When he had put back his radio he glanced up to see Carter with a huge grin.

"Poor Daniel," she said. "This has to be killing him."

"Mmm hmm," Jack returned her grin. "And Teal'c is quietly gloating over the fact that Daniel insisted on going left! Now come on – let's go take a look."

They approached the building carefully, keeping their eyes open for any dangers including aliens or booby traps.

"Looks good so far Sir," Carter commented.

"Mmm hmm – which means something's bound to pop up and bite us in the ass. I never trust it when things go too well."

"No Sir," she nodded. What he said was unfortunately too often the truth. For that reason she stayed alert.

They arrived at what appeared to be the front door – although the door itself was long gone. In its place was an archway leading into a small courtyard, now overgrown with various plants. There was also evidence that some kinds of small animals had used this place as a sanctuary or even a feeding ground.

Jack looked at his watch and realized it was time to check in with the others. He contacted Teal'c and informed him that everything was "hunky dory."

"That is good O'Neill. Everything is fine here as well. We came across a small structure. It has writing on it."

"Oh – so Daniel is happy?"

"Indeed O'Neill, as a pig in -"

" _Teal'c_! Where did you hear that expression?"

"Is it not correct?"

Sigh. "Yes, it's correct. In Daniel's case _very_ correct. Well, enjoy – or tell him to enjoy and you watch him carefully. I'll radio back in one hour."

"I will await your call O'Neill – anxiously."

"Everything okay Sir?" Carter asked.

"Just fine. Daniel found a building with writing on it."

"So he's happy."

"As a pig Carter, as a pig." He shared a grin with his 2IC and perhaps for the thousandth time wished – what he had no right wishing. He took a deep breath and looked around.

"Okay – door one, two or three?" the Colonel asked. There were three archways breaking off from the courtyard and nothing particularly distinctive about any of them.

"Well Sir, Teal'c may be correct that right is usually the way to go."

"Fine Major, door number one on the right it is." He moved carefully towards that doorway, his eyes constantly sweeping the area for hidden dangers.

Sam watched him, doing much the same thing, and couldn't help but acknowledge that there was no one she'd rather do this with than the Colonel. There was no one with whom she felt safer. He was the best officer she'd ever seen and she was constantly grateful she'd been assigned to his team.

O'Neill was now poking his head through the doorway, a slight frown on his face.

"What is it Sir?" Carter asked.

"Uh – I don't know. It looks like some kind of – bedroom or something. Come take a look." He stepped back and allowed Carter to look into the room.

She could see a raised dais in the center of the room with elaborate carvings all around the base. She looked at the carvings and was startled to see graphic depictions of naked men and women doing - things – together. "Uh -" she glanced at the Colonel who had a smirk on his face.

"I think we may have come across the alien equivalent of the Playboy Mansion," he said, staring at the dais. "Daniel is going to be really pissed!" He considered for a moment. "So is Teal'c, for that mater. So, any ideas Major?"

She looked at him, startled, her mouth hanging open. It took her all of five seconds – and the Colonel's quizzical look, to realize he was asking her for her thoughts on the room, not about what she'd like to do. She felt herself go red and turned back to the room, praying that the Colonel hadn't figure out what had gone through her mind at his question. She stalled for a few seconds – and tried to get her breathing under control, while she perused the room more carefully with her eyes.

She frowned and pointed to the walls. "Look at that Sir. It doesn't exactly fit in with the uh – bed thing."

Jack turned in the direction that Carter was pointing – a humorously flustered Carter – and carefully studied the wall.

"What are those things?" he asked after a few minutes.

"I think – babies Sir," she said, looking at the gilded carvings on the wall.

"Babies?" He tilted his head to the side and considered the carvings all along one wall. "That's kind of – sick, considering what's over there."

"Maybe it's supposed to be Cupid Colonel. You know, the God of – uh – love." She glanced towards the dais and grimaced.

"I know who Cupid is Major – and you're probably right. It's still kind of – creepy."

"It is Sir."

"So, no ideas?"

"About the room? Well, I do know that many cultures used – uh – sex as part of worship. I mean – uh – look at some Earth cultures and art."

"Yes, well, I try not to. I guess we need Daniel here. But first, let's take a closer look."

Sam eyed the Colonel thoughtfully; pretty sure she heard a note of – glee – in his voice. She shook her head. _Men_. Well, at least it was no longer boring. "Yes Sir."

"And check your thingamabob to see if there's anything going on in here."

She approached the dais carefully with her "thingamabob" as the Colonel called it, held out. O'Neill was slightly behind her, his weapon drawn. As she grew nearer she noticed that the dais had some kind of cover on it, although she hated to think what might be living in it after all these years. She also realized, as she grew closer, that it looked more like a bed than any kind of altar, although she didn't want to say that to the Colonel. She could only imagine his response. Other than the dais or bed, the only object in the room was a metallic globe, which hung from the ceiling over it.

She frowned at the globe and then lifted her monitor. "Sir, the EM readings are coming from that."

"From the disco ball?" he asked, peering at it closely.

"Uh – yes," she said, trying not to smile.

"What the hell is it?"

"I don't know Sir. Do you want me to take a closer look?"

"Mmm – yeah, I guess so – just no touching."

"Yes Sir." Sam slowly walked towards the globe, her hand monitor held out in front of her. She frowned as she watched the readings change. "Something is happening as I move closer Colonel."

"Then stop Major!" he told her. He held up his weapon and looked carefully around the room. "It could be a weapon."

"I don't think so Colonel," she said looking at the readings in front of her. "There doesn't seem to be that much power."

"Well then, what the hell is it?"

Again she knew the Colonel wasn't really asking her because he knew she had no more idea than he did. He was staring at it as if he could force it to start talking.

"Sir, can I move closer?"

"Slowly Carter – and if the readings start to go crazy you get out of there fast, okay?"

"Yes Sir." She slowly took one, two, three steps forward and stopped. The power was increasing, but not to any great extent. It was strange because the globe didn't appear –

" _Carter! Watch out!"_

Sam glanced back at the Colonel, who had his weapon pointed at the alien object. She immediately looked up, just in time to see the globe separate and a beam of light come out and –

" _Carter!_ " Jack saw it happening, almost in slow motion. He had noticed the globe start to separate as Carter was looking down at her instrument. Before she'd had a chance to register what was happening or to move, the light had hit her square in the chest.

Jack didn't even stop to think. He threw himself forward, practically tackling his 2IC and shoving her out of the way.

At least that's what he _tried_ to do. Instead of moving her, he found himself stopped cold as if he'd run into a brick wall. He let out a great "ooph" and the next thing he knew he was frozen next to his 2IC, his arms out on either side of her and his body pressed right into her.

He couldn't move – could barely breathe – and the only thing he could see was Sam. She was looking at him in – wonder? Her face was turned towards him and even though it was obvious she too was frozen, there was something in her expression that startled him – hell, that scared him to death.

He tried to speak, tried to ask what was wrong, but nothing would come out of his mouth. They continued to be stuck and Jack had a whimsical thought that maybe this _was_ a fairy tale castle and they'd be stuck like this until some prince came along and freed them. Better not be with a kiss though, he thought. He'd shoot any guy who tried to kiss him – or Carter, for that matter.

That thought was followed swiftly by the memory that Daniel and Teal'c were close by. If they didn't report in on time the two men would come and check things out and would find them – and hopefully save them.

He glanced down again at Sam – thank god his eyes seemed to be working – and was startled by the look of – longing that was on her face. Rather than his usual caution and sense of no way in hell can we go there unless we want our asses Court Martialled, he felt a responding sense of longing and desire begin to grow in him. And interestingly, that wasn't the only thing that was growing. So, not everything was frozen, he realized.

There was a brief second flash of light and then they were both _unfrozen_. Jack went to step away from his – from his – _"Carter?"_ he breathed, suddenly getting a whiff of her clean and very sexy self.

" _Jack_ ," she murmured. The next thing he knew she was trying to undo his vest.

"Uh – Carter?"

" _Yes_ ," she asked as she continued to press up against him.

"Let me." The next thing either of them knew, weapons and vests, radios and packs, monitors and everything else went flying haphazardly around the alien room.

"Oh God Jack," Sam breathed, practically ripping his t-shirt off his body. "Hurry."

He was fumbling with her bra – who the _hell_ invented sports bras? In frustration he simply yanked the thing over her head. There, that'll teach you you –

"Oh my God," he breathed as he caught sight of Sam Carter's naked breasts. He reached up and tenderly touched them – and that was the last bit of tender anything as they both grew more frantic.

His mouth was full of breast and he was pushing her back up against the Playboy bed. He could feel her fumbling with his belt and he pushed her hand away and undid it himself. If he didn't get his pants off soon, he was going to be in real pain.

She did help push them down his legs although his damn boots got in the way. He growled – it was taking way too long to divest themselves of all their equipment and gear. Military wear was _not_ meant for a quick tumble in the hay – or in alien temples.

"Here, let me," Sam breathed. She slithered down his body – he was in heaven – her mouth trailing along and kissing him everywhere, especially -

"- oooh," he groaned.

She finally got to his boots and quickly unlaced them and helped him take them off. His pants and boxers quickly followed. Now it was his turn.

He got distracted on the journey down to help remove her boots – and both of them enjoyed the slight delay. But eventually he got her boots off and then her pants and panties.

"Sam," he groaned as he lifted her onto the dais – neither of them even thinking of whether it was sanitary or not. Her legs wrapped around him and he was sure that he'd ascended because this was _not_ an Earthly experience.

It took him only a second to bury himself inside her and he wanted to shout with the ecstasy that filled him. He'd never felt anything like it before. She was wrapped around him, as close as it was possible to be. He could feel her tremble and then her body tightened around him and began to move.

He had no idea how long they were lost in the throws of passionate sex. At one point they'd climbed up on top of the dais, allowing for a whole new position and experience. In fact, Jack was pretty sure – somewhere in the deep recesses of his mind – that they'd pretty much tried every position known to human beings.

He was more relaxed than he could ever remember being in his life. He felt a soft warm buzz throughout his body and decided he was going to stay here – wherever that was – for the rest of his life.

If only that irritating bug would stop buzzing! He went to swat it, although he barely had enough energy to lift his arm. He dropped it down – on top of something soft and warm, and smiled.

The buzzing continued – and slowly began to morph into something else.

"-Nl."

"O'N."

"O'Nl."

" _O'Neill!"_

O'Neill. Wasn't that his name? He considered it for a moment. Yup, he was pretty sure that was his name. But why would a bug be saying his name? It was confusing and he would much rather just sleep with his very warm, cuddly teddy bear.

" _ **O'Neill**_ **!** _ **"**_

Damn. He groaned and opened his eyes. That bug was not going to let him rest. He was going to have to get up and squash it. He took a deep breath and felt his eyes begin to close, but then forced them open. The bug was coming from somewhere across the room.

He squinted, wondering why there was stuff spread out all over. He shrugged lightly and decided to go investigate. He forced himself to sit up – and heard a groan to his right. He glanced over to see a naked body beside him.

A naked body beside him. _Holy Shit!_ He sat up suddenly and clutched his throbbing head. Oh god, oh god, oh god!

"O'Neill, are you there?"

The bug – damn it, his _radio_ was somewhere across the room where he'd obviously thrown it when –hell! He pushed himself to his feet, practically falling over in the process. He glanced down at himself and then closed his eyes. Things were bad, really, _really_ bad. He spared one more glance at Carter and groaned again. He then launched himself across the room and grabbed his vest with the radio. Fumbling around – he was particularly uncoordinated – he finally managed to snag his radio.

"Teal'c," he grunted, his voice sounding not at all like him.

"O'Neill? Is that you?"

He tried to clear his throat and then spoke again. "Yeah Teal'c, it's me."

"Is everything all right? We have been trying to get in touch with you for almost an hour."

"An hour? Crap. Uh – yeah – things are – well, sort of okay. I mean, we're not hurt but something – uh. Where are you?"

"We are on our way to your location. Based on your arrival time at the structure we believe we will arrive in approximately twenty minutes."

Twenty minutes? He looked around the room and closed his eyes. Crap! "Uh okay Teal'c. Just wait outside the building and we'll come out. Do _not_ come inside – repeat, do _not_ come inside."

There was a pause and then Teal'c answered, concern in his voice. "We will wait outside."

"Jack, Jack – it's me."

"Yes Daniel – I assumed it would be. What do you want?"

"Did you find anything interesting? Did you take pictures?"

Jack glanced again at the room and quickly at the sleeping woman. "Uh no Daniel, I didn't."

"Well, I can take some when I get there. I think they worshipped some kind of sex or fertility gods based the writing in the small temple we found. The writing is a derivation of -"

"Okay Daniel – can we discuss this later?"

"Oh yeah – sure. See you soon Jack. And if you can, take some pictures."

After he'd signed off Jack stood for a few seconds, his mind blank but knowing that things had _definitely_ gone FUBAR – in the biggest way possible.

Knowing they didn't have long he began to dress quickly. "Carter," he called, once he had his pants up, "wake up."

He heard her groan and then sigh – and then that was followed by a screech.

"Oh my god!"

"That's what I said Carter," he told her over his shoulder. He was collecting all his things – and Carter's – and trying to quickly organize them. "The guys are coming – they'll be here in ten minutes so I suggest you get dressed quickly. "Here." He walked backwards, his arm held out behind him, his hand holding a bra, a pair of panties and her shirt. Her pants had fallen by the dais and she could find them herself.

He felt her take the clothes and mutter a soft "Thank you."

"Let's just get dressed and organized Carter. We can talk about this – figure out what to do later."

"Yes Sir. Uh – what about Daniel and Teal'c?"

He sighed. "I don't know. We may have to tell them. I don't think we can hide this. It'll be pretty obvious when they do our medical."

There was silence and then he heard her gasp. She must have taken a look at herself. If she looked anything like him – and he was almost positive she did - there was no way in _hell_ Janet and her nurses wouldn't figure things out. He was literally covered in hickeys and scratches. God – his career suddenly passed before his eyes.

"It wasn't our fault Colonel," Carter's voice interrupted his despair. "It was -"

"Alien influence – I know."

Suddenly he heard a giggle – the sound so surprising that he couldn't help but turn around. Sam was standing by the dais – almost dressed – with tears trailing down her face and a look of panic buried under the laughter.

"What?" he frowned. What could possible be so funny?

"Aliens made us do it Sir," she choked.

He looked at her blankly at first and then it hit him. He felt the laughter build and within seconds both of them were laughing hysterically.

Yup – his life was officially a cliché!


	2. Humans Go Figure!

_**Thank you so much to all of you who reviewed and your kind comments and well-wishes. I'm going to continue this story as people seem to be enjoying the cliches and the silliness. More abounds ...**_

"So, what did you see? Can we go inside? The architecture is amazing. It looks like a cross between -"

"Daniel."

"Although there are definite influences of early -"

" _Daniel_."

"I haven't seen any Goa'uld influence or Ancient but the fact that there are -"

" _ **DANIEL!**_ **"**

"What Jack? You don't need to shout. I'm right here."

"Are you Daniel?" Jack sighed. "Come on, we've got to get back to the gate."

" _What_? Are you crazy? Jack _look_ at this place. It's fascinating and who know what we could find."

"Yeah, who knows," snorted the Colonel with a glance at Sam. "There's nothing that could be used as a weapon and that's why we're here so, let's go."

" _Weapon_? What about history? What about finding out about other races and cultures? What about learning -"

"That alien races have a really sick sense of humor. Now let's _go_ Daniel. I'm not gonna say it again. Get your ass in gear and turn your body that way," he pointed, "and let's go home."

"But _Jack,_ "

"Cease and desist Daniel Jackson," Teal'c said deeply. He'd taken one look at the faces of the two Air Force officers and had immediately realized something was wrong – very wrong. "We are returning to Earth."

"Teal'c, you too? But you _saw_ the small temple and how fascinating it was – and look at this one. It's huge."

"Daniel, for once can you not shut up about it and just do as the Colonel says?"

Sam's uncharacteristic sharpness finally got through to the archaeologist on their team. He stared at her blankly for a moment and then a frown appeared on his face. "Hey, what's wrong?"

Her eyes closed briefly and then she looked back at her friend and sometimes irritating companion. "Nothing Daniel it's just -"

"Look Danny," Jack sighed. "We found some alien technology in there and got – zapped – by it. Sam and I need to get checked out. I'm sorry but I can't let you go inside – it's too dangerous."

"Oh my god – are you both okay?" Now that Daniel was aware he realized that Jack was looking rather pale and – tense. "What did it do?"

"Let's leave it until we're back, okay?"

Daniel nodded and soon they were all hiking back to the gate. Jack took the lead, followed by Daniel, then Sam with Teal'c taking up the rear. Jack was relieved. He really didn't know what to say or do around Carter right now.

Sam wasn't quite sure how to feel as they walked back towards the gate. After their hysterical laughter both officers had sobered quickly and had finished getting dressed and getting their supplies together. Just as they were ready to step out of the damned building the Colonel had stopped her.

"Carter – Sam," he said softly. "I'm sorry about this."

"It wasn't your fault Sir," she replied, not looking at him.

"No," he sighed, "but I'm still sorry and – I'll do whatever I can to make sure this doesn't affect your career."

"I know you will, thank you Sir. It shouldn't affect yours either."

"I hope not," he admitted. "You do realize -"

"We won't be allowed on the same team? Yes, I know."

"It's shitty."

"It is that Sir." She lifted her eyes and tried to smile. "At least there's a bright side," she said.

"There is?" His eyebrows lifted in enquiry.

"You could have been there with Daniel."

He snorted and then laughed softly. "I don't even want to _think_ about that one. Come on Major, let's go and get this circus on the road."

So now, here she was, worried that she'd just screwed – literally she groaned softly – her career. At the least she was off Sg1, which was going to be devastating. It also meant that things were going to be even more awkward with the Colonel. They'd managed to keep everything in the room – which was sometimes difficult – but at least they were friends and got to spend time together. She'd comforted herself with that over the past few years – and had always hoped that one day … But now, even that was messed up. How could they possibly remain friends after _that_? How could she not remember, whenever she looked at him, what it was like to love him, to _really_ love him. God, who would have thought the man had it in him!

Jack had many of the same thoughts running through his mind as they walked towards the gate. Even though it was clearly a case of alien intervention, he was pretty sure there would be those that would use this as an excuse to try and get rid of him, or at least to destroy Sg1. But that was the least of his worries. He'd treasured the time he could spend with Sam, even if they could never acknowledge their feelings for one another. But having her near, listening to her brilliance, watching her enthusiasm and her _goodness_ was one of the best parts of his life – and now he was going to lose her.

Because there was no way they'd allow them to stay together on the same team. Hell, they might not even allow them to stay together on the same _base_. Maybe it was time for him to consider retirement. He could go to his cabin and – fish.

"Damn it!" he growled. Life was so unfair.

"Is there problem O'Neill?" Teal'c asked.

"Yeah Teal'c – there is, but I'm afraid there's nothing we can do about it now. Let's wait until we get back."

Stepping through the horizon and into the gate room was usually accompanied by feelings of relief or success – rarely with dread. This time two of the members of Sg1 were definitely feeling dread.

"Welcome back Sg1," the General called, there to meet them as usual. "How was the mission?"

"Nothing useful there Sir," Jack replied. He took his cap off and rubbed his eyes.

"Well, we don't _know_ that Jack. Just because -"

"Daniel, please," Jack groaned. "Let's leave it for the briefing, okay?"

Hammond nodded. "Well then, get to the Infirmary and we'll debrief after you're done."

"Uh Sir – can I – uh – speak to you first?"

Hammond looked at him curiously, but on reading the worry on the Colonel's face he nodded. "Come and see me as soon as you've seen Dr. Frasier. The rest of your team can wait."

"Uh Sir – shouldn't I come too?" Sam asked. She immediately closed her eyes at the unintended pun – wanting to die of embarrassment when she thought back to how many times she _had –_

"No Major – I'll speak to the General first," O'Neill said quietly, although she was pretty sure she saw a quirk to his lips. The evil man – he knew exactly what she'd been thinking. She got the courage up to look him in the eye and nodded.

The four members of Sg1 trailed quietly down the hall to the Infirmary, a very worried looking General watching them leave.

"Somehow I don't think I'm going to like this," he muttered.

Jack was able to convince the nurse to give him a cursory exam before hopping off the table and making his way to the General's office. Janet was busy with Siler – he'd hit some part of his body with his wrench - again. He knew she wouldn't have allowed him to get off so easily but he was glad not to have to deal with everything right then.

He also knew he'd be back for more tests once he'd seen the General, but right now he really didn't want to have to explain to anyone what had happened. It was going to be bad enough to explain it to Janet. Or maybe he could request Warner. He was pretty sure that would feel more comfortable. He wasn't sure whether Janet would decide to rip out his man parts once he heard what he'd done to – or with – Sam.

He tapped softly on the General's door.

"Come in Colonel, have a seat."

"Thank you Sir."

"So, what is it you wanted to see me about Jack?" Hammond looked at the younger man and figured that he needed to move into friend territory for this one.

Jack took a deep breath and let it out slowly. "I'm afraid you're not going to want to hear this Sir, but something happened on the planet."

"I gathered that. What was it?"

"Well Sir – we split up to explore the area – there didn't seem to be anyone or anything that presented a danger. Teal'c and Daniel stayed together, while Carter came with me." Jack stopped and grimaced, thinking about her expression in the gate room and _refusing_ to think about her expressions – and sounds – in that damned love chamber. Jack moved, trying to get comfortable and suddenly wished he could just get up and go home.

Hammond didn't say anything but continued to watch the Colonel calmly. He knew that something serious had happened, but there was no point getting worried - yet.

"Uh we came across a building and went inside. Carter's equipment registered low level EM readings so we went to check it out."

"What did you find?" George asked after the silence stretched on for a long time.

"We found –this room. There was a platform of some kind with carvings all over it. The carvings were – well, let me just say that they would have done Penthouse proud."

Hammond nodded, suddenly getting a very bad premonition of what was to come. "What happened?"

"Well, there was this globe thing – kind of looked like a disco ball – you remember them Sir."

"Yes Colonel, I do. What did it do?"

"Well, it suddenly opened up and a light hit Carter in the chest. I tried to push her out of the way but it somehow froze us both to the spot."

"And?"

"Well – after a few minutes the light stopped and …"

"And? Colonel – what happened?"

"Well, the light obviously did something Sir – because the next thing you know, Carter and I -"

"Carter and you," prodded the General.

"Well, we uh -" Jack scratched his nose. "We kind of – you know."

"Colonel, I do _not_ know. Jack, just spit it out."

Jack grimaced and rubbed his nose again. He then shifted his legs, first tucking them under his chair and then straightening them out in front of him. "Uh –well we kind of – had sex Sir."

There was complete silence and Hammond sat totally frozen – Jack wondered if the light had followed him home – without any expression on his face.

"You what?" Hammond asked softly.

"It was the light Sir. It did something to us – really. I can't explain it but both of us were totally carried away – I mean, we weren't thinking. I couldn't have stopped myself if I'd tried and neither could Carter. We really didn't know what we were doing – I mean, we knew what we were doing, but we didn't know it was wrong – at that moment and we couldn't stop ourselves. Something about the damn light made us – do that."

"Do that!" George closed his eyes and let out a long breath. "Is Major Carter okay?"

"She's fine – I mean physically she's fine. She's upset, of course. So am I for that matter."

"There was no force involved?"

"Force? Well except for the damned light. But wait – you mean _me_ – _General_ I would _never_ hurt Carter – or force her. God, who do you think I am?"

"I had to ask Jack – I'm sorry. I know you wouldn't. You do realize that this looks – bad."

"Of course it looks bad Sir. It _is_ bad. But hell, I've never done anything inappropriate with Carter - you know that General. We've always maintained a totally professional, proper relationship. It was the damned alien _thing_ that did this. I didn't even realize until I woke up."

"You fell asleep?"

"Yes – after – I – hell, you know Sir. We both fell asleep."

Hammond let out another breath and rubbed his head. "I'll have to send a team back to check it out." He held up his hand to stop Jack from talking. "I believe you Jack – but others might not. The more evidence we have, the better. We'll also need to have a more extensive work up to see if you're still experiencing the affects of whatever that was."

"I know Sir. I just – I needed you to know. We haven't said anything to Teal'c or Daniel."

"Good. Let's leave it that way for now and we'll wait to hear what the doctor says. I think I'd better speak to Janet and tell her what's going on."

"She may already know Sir," he replied softly. "Carter."

"Oh – right. Will she say anything about it?"

"She won't have to Sir. There's – physical evidence."

"Physical – damn!" George closed his eyes again and sat back. After a few seconds he sat up and picked up the phone. "Dr. Frasier – yes, can you come up here? Right now if you please. Just have Major Carter and the others stay in the Infirmary for now."

Things proceeded quickly after that. Once Janet knew what had happened she went into uber-doctor mode, although Jack was pretty sure he'd gotten the glare of death from her and now was expecting some really big needles in his butt.

Both Carter and he were given complete and extensive work-ups. Warner ended up doing his, thank goodness, and was totally understanding and professional which Jack appreciated. He was pretty sure he could be very relieved it wasn't Janet.

After all the tests both of them were sent home to recuperate – and to wait to hear what the fallout would be. In the meantime they'd had to tell Daniel and Teal'c because the two of them were to go back, along with one of the scientists and Colonel Dixon, to check out the alien device.

Of course telling the two of them had been fun.

"You did _what_?" Daniel asked, pulling off his glasses and staring myopically at Jack.

"I told you – that _thing_ shone a light on us and the next thing you know we're – well, doing something we're not allowed to do."

"You had _sex_?"

"Yes Daniel – and thank you for shouting it so loudly that the whole damn base can hear!"

"You and _Sam_? The two of you had sex together," Daniel said, more quietly this time but no less bluntly.

"Yes Daniel, Sam and me."

"And a _light_ made you do it?"

"Yes – or at least the alien technology did."

" _But_ – but you can't."

"I know that – _we_ know that. That's the whole point. That alien ball thing did this to us."

"But how?" Daniel frowned.

" _We don't know_! That's why you and Teal'c and Dr. Lee are all going back to the damned planet – to find out what it did!"

"But – you and Sam had sex."

"Aaaargh!" Jack cried, practically pulling out his hair.

"I believe we have established that Daniel Jackson. I do not believe you are helping matters. O'Neill, we will do what we can to find out what occurred. We know that this was not your fault. You and Major Carter have always acted professionally and would never choose to have sexual intercourse unless you were forced."

"Mmm," Jack groaned, unable to answer his friend. The last thing he wanted to hear was sexual intercourse – about anyone, least of all his 2IC. He plunked his forehead down on the table.

"Well of course they have acted professionally," Daniel frowned. "I mean – can you imagine them _choosing_ to have sex together?"

Both Jack and Teal'c turned to look at Daniel incredulously. He stared back and then shrugged. "What? What did I say? I mean, Sam's your subordinate. You wouldn't even _think_ of doing something like that with her – would you?"

"Daniel Jackson," Teal'c said.

"What Teal'c."

"Be quiet."

So the two men returned to the planet with Dr. Lee and Colonel Dixon. Meanwhile Drs. Frasier and Warner called a briefing to go over the medical reports.

Jack walked in to see that Carter was already seated at the briefing table. He stopped for a fraction of a second but then forced himself to move forward. He hadn't seen her since they'd returned from the friggin planet and he didn't know what to say to her now. She had her head down, contemplating her fingers. When he walked to the table she glanced up briefly.

"Sir."

"Carter. Uh – how are you?"

"Fine Sir. And you?"

"Fine Carter, fine." He sat down – as far from her as he could get without it appearing contrived or rude. The two of them then sat in total silence, neither having the faintest idea what to do or say.

Jack glanced at Carter when she wasn't looking at him and noticed how pale and thin she seemed. God –this had to be killing her. It was killing him. He'd had to spend hours taking cold showers and watching sports to keep his mind from going back to naked Carter. He was finding it very difficult.

Just then the door opened and Dr. Frasier walked in, followed almost immediately by Dr. Warner. A second later Hammond's door opened and soon all of them were seated around the table.

"So, you have the reports back?" Hammond asked needlessly. It was why there were all there after all.

"Yes Sir," Janet replied with a small smile. "Dr. Warner and I have gone over all the results carefully."

"And what did you find doctors?"

"Both the Colonel's and Major Carter's hormone levels were severely disrupted. Their levels of both estrogen and testosterone were abnormal. As well, their endorphin levels were – well – off the charts."

"That's good, right?" Jack asked. "I mean, it proves that it wasn't us – that something messed with us?"

"Yes Sir, it does. Your brain patterns were also affected – and although we don't understand that much about the brain's response, it does appear that the portion of the brain that regulates things like choice and self-control were –suppressed.'

"See, I told you," the Colonel said, sounding excited. "It wasn't our fault. Our brains were suppressed."

"But not the part of your brain that controls your sex drive," Janet said. That stopped the Colonel cold – and a tinge of red appeared in his face. "The area of the brain that controls base functions – like sex – was highly active."

"Highly active?" Sam asked quietly, the first time she'd spoken.

"Lit up like a Christmas tree," Janet told her, biting her lip to stop an inappropriate grin. She then faced the General. "Based on our findings Sir, neither Colonel O'Neill nor Major Carter would have been able to consciously choose to – uh – have sex. They couldn't have chosen _not_ to either. Something was controlling both their brain and their hormones and they acted without conscious thought. It was purely a biological urge – one they couldn't resist."

Jack could feel himself relax, just a bit, although he knew that things were still up in the air. What he also didn't want to face was the fact that even if he couldn't have resisted, he also was fully aware that he'd enjoyed sex with Carter way more than if it had just been a biological urge.

He was a man and knew that it didn't take emotional commitment or love to enjoy sex. But he had also been married, and very much in love with his wife, and he knew the difference between sex for sex' sake – and sex where there was love. And sex with Sam had been – beyond spectacular and into the realms of the spiritual.

He'd never tell anyone that, of course because that would cause all sorts of problems. Right now they could claim – accurately – that it was alien influence and beyond their control. If anyone knew how he felt however, there might be trouble. Nope, best to let sleeping dogs lie – and other appropriate clichés.

"Since Major Carter was on birth control we don't have to worry about any further consequences," Janet was saying.

Jack's head jerked up, his eyes wide. God – he hadn't even _thought_ of that. It showed how completely his brain had been co-opted. He glanced at Sam, to see her looking stone-faced at the table. She must have given it some thought – and would be totally relieved to know that there'd be no little O'Neill's – or Carter-O'Neill's to worry about.

And didn't _that_ give him a twinge. He could almost imagine what their -

" _Colonel_!"

He glanced at the General and suddenly realized everyone was looking at him. "Uh – sorry – what was that General?"

"I just said that pending the report from the planet I don't see any need to continue with this. There are no reasons for any charges to be laid – what happened was purely as a result of alien technology. I do want both of you to go for counseling and I also want you to take some time off. I think a couple of week's leave is in order -"

"But Sir," Sam started to object when the General held up his hand.

"That's non-negotiable Major. Both Dr. Warner and Dr. Frasier agree that you need some time to deal with this."

"And the team Sir?" O'Neill finally asked, already knowing the answer.

"Well, that's a tough one Colonel. At first I was going to insist that you and Major Carter not be on the same team. However, depending on the final psych exam, I'm willing to reconsider. I need you both to be able to assure me, honestly, that you can continue to work together effectively and not let this get in your way."

"I'm sure we -"

"Not now Colonel," George interrupted. "Give it a few weeks and we'll see. I really don't want to break up the best damn team I have – but I also have to make sure you're going to continue to be effective. Let's just wait and see."

"Sir – will anyone else need to know?" Sam asked quietly.

"No Major. Other than your team, Drs. Warner and Frasier and myself, no one needs to know. This will go into your file, but it will be marked confidential and need to know only. I'll make sure that no one outside this base hears about this."

"Thank you Sir."

"Yeah – thanks General."

"Okay folks – this has been – hard, but let's hope we can put this behind us. Major, Colonel – you will continue to be confined to base until the doctors can assure me that physically everything is back to normal. That will also give time for Colonel Dixon and the others to get back and fill us in on the alien device. After that you're both on leave."

Everyone filed out of the General's office, with Jack the last to go. He watched as Sam left with Janet – he figured the doctor was going to help her through this. He glanced at George, who was still standing at the head of the table.

"Thank you Sir," he said again, sincerely.

George nodded. "I hope you can manage this son. It's not going to be easy."

"No, I know. I'll make sure Sam – Major Carter, feels comfortable. If there's any doubt -"

"I know Jack. I'm sorry this had to happen."

"Not as sorry as me Sir," Jack said, running his hands through his short hair. "Damned aliens!"

George nodded. "Yes, I agree. At least this time it was about making love, not war!"

"Sir?" Jack choked back a laugh, not expecting that response from the General.

"Oh go away Jack," Hammond waved his hands. "Go – relax for a bit and get your mind off things. Then go away to your cabin and fish and when you get back things will look better."

"Yes Sir," Jack stood and walked to the door. "I hope so."

* * *

"So Sam – how was it?"

"How was what Janet?"

"Oh come on – I know it wasn't your fault, but girl, you got to have sex with Jack O'Neill. I want to know what that was like."

" _Janet_! How could you?" Sam was shocked that her friend and her _doctor_ would be so flippant about something so serious. She stared at the other woman, who simply grinned.

"Come on – tell. Is he a good lover?"

Sam sighed and gave up. "Yes – the best. It was – quite incredible."

"It was? Details Sam, details."

"Janet, I am _not_ giving you details of the sex I had with my commanding officer. That's our business."

"How many times?"

"Janet – okay fine. I don't remember. I kind of lost track."

"Lost – holy Hannah girl, you had sex _that_ many times?"

"Yes – well you said yourself that our hormones were off the charts. And Jack – the Colonel – well he has stamina like I never would have imagined. And the positions – God Janet, I didn't know he was that flexible."

"Really? Wow – I guess those Black Ops soldiers really do have special skills!"

The two women giggled and Sam thought back to all the things Jack had done and all the ways she had felt. "You know those gorgeous hands of his? Well, let me tell you some of the things he _did_ with them!" She proceeded to describe some of the things the Colonel had done, both with his hands and with his mouth. She sighed, feeling heat and tingling in certain places on her body. She rolled over and –

"What the heck!" She blinked and looked up at the ceiling of her VIP suite. Damn – it had been a dream. "Which is a good thing," she muttered. "I would have killed Janet if she had really asked all of those things."

She lay there a while, thinking about her dream and about remembering all the things that had happened in that temple. Even though their brains had been messed with, she remembered every single detail as if it were seared into her. It had been glorious, every single moment of it.

And the thing was, it hadn't just been sex, at least it wasn't for her. Oh, she knew that for a man it was different and Jack would have enjoyed it no matter which woman he was with, but for her – no, it had been special _because_ it had been Jack O'Neill. She had been in love with the man for a long time and during the entire interlude she'd let that love flow through her and out to him. He would never know, but for her it hadn't been just sex – it had been love.

So now, how was she supposed to continue to work with the man when all she wanted to do was have him pick her up and put her on the edge of her desk and make passionate love to her – just as he'd done on the planet.

She closed her eyes and thought of him – and remembered. And it seemed so real. Eventually – after the fantasies were done, she fell into a deep, relaxing sleep.

* * *

Jack had been sitting in the Commissary with Daniel, picking at his piece of pie, when all of a sudden he'd gotten a picture of Sam – of Sam as she had been on that dais – all naked and glowing with passion.

He blinked and tried to get the picture out of his mind, but it kept returning. Soon he was shifting in his chair as the fantasy – or the memory, he wasn't quite sure which – kept intruding on his thoughts. He was really afraid he was going to disgrace himself and do something he hadn't done since he was about 16.

"Are you okay Jack?" Daniel frowned at him. "You're looking rather flushed."

"Flushed?" Jack answered. "It's just a little hot in here."

"No it's not," Daniel replied. "Are you okay?"

"I'm fine."

"Okay. By the way Dr. Lee is testing the object we brought back. It'll be interesting to determine what exactly it does."

"It screws with people Daniel," Jack answered sharply. "That's what alien technology does. It screws with you and wrecks your life."

"Uh – okay Jack," Daniel looked at him strangely and Jack realized he'd better cool it or Daniel and Teal'c were going to suspect he wasn't exactly okay after – his experience on the planet. If he wanted things to go back to normal he was going to have to pretend like everything was just fine.

Jack suddenly realized that Daniel was still talking – although why that should be a surprise was beyond him.

" – was used by whoever the people were on the planet to enhance sexual experience – or more likely it was even used to enhance fertility."

" _What,"_ Jack practically yelled. "Fertility? You're kidding me, right?"

"Uh - noo, not at all," Daniel said, looking almost scared by Jack's reaction. "Didn't I tell you what I found at the small temple?"

"No – no you didn't."

"Oh well – sorry about that. The texts – from what I could gather – mentioned that this place was for couples who were having marriage trouble or possibly difficulty conceiving. It appears that they would come and make an offering to the Gods – probably some kind of monetary donation or something like that at the temple Teal'c and I found and then would proceed to the larger temple – it was dedicated to the god Shmulko. I haven't heard of him before, but I'm assuming he was comparable to -"

"Cupid," Jack groaned, leaning his head on the table.

"Uh – yeah," Daniel looked over at Teal'c and mouthed "what?" Teal'c lifted an eyebrow and shrugged, no closer to understanding what was going on with O'Neill than was Daniel.

"You're telling me this Shmuk was the god of _fertility_?" Jack asked in a strangled voice.

"I think so. Why?"

"Oh, nothing," Jack said, sitting up straight. "No reason whatsoever. Uh, when did Dr. Lee say he'd have the results back from the disco ball?"

"Disco ball?"

"Yeah, the alien doohickey thing you brought back."

"Oh – well, I don't know. Sam is with him and so it shouldn't be too long."

" _Carter?_ What the hell is she doing looking at it?" Jack stood up suddenly, knocking back his chair as he did so. "She needs to stay away from that thing."

"Why Jack?"

"Yes, for what reason O'Neill?" The two male members of his team were looking at him as if he had snakes growing out of his head.

"Because – hell, because – it already messed with us. I don't want her getting – messed with – any more."

"I'm sure they're being careful Jack," Daniel said gently, trying to calm his friend down. "You know, maybe I should go and see what Sam and Dr. Lee are doing. Maybe I can help."

"Help? With what? Everything's okay Daniel. I think we should just forget this and – just do – whatever you normally do. Uh thanks guys," he said, standing up. "I think I'll just go and – do something." With that the Colonel headed out of the Commissary, looking vaguely perturbed.

"That was weird Teal'c," Daniel commented, his eyes still focused on the route Jack had taken.

"Indeed Daniel Jackson. I believe he is concerned about something."

"Yeah – I kind of think so too. Shall we -?"

"Go and talk to Major Carter? Yes, I believe we should. It is our responsibility to ensure that she is doing well."

"Yeah – right – responsibility." Daniel stood up and returned his tray – and Jack's half-eaten pie to the conveyor belt. He returned and walked with Teal'c as they headed towards the labs. They were half way to their destination when Daniel glanced over at his companion. "Responsibility?" he grinned. "You're just nosy Teal'c."

"Indeed."

* * *

Sam was really tempted to take a sledgehammer to the object in front of her. It was responsible for _seriously_ messing up her life. But she kind of figured Bill would look at her strangely if she did that. No, he'd probably call Janet and or the General and they'd lock her up in a padded room, where she'd spend the rest of her life remembering the mind-blowing sex she'd had with her Commander. She sighed and peered down at the stupid object in front of her.

"I can't seem to get it to open Major," Bill said. "You're sure it opened when you were on the planet."

"Yes, I'm sure."

"And what did it do?"

"It shone a light on me – which froze me to the spot. The Colonel tried to save me and he was frozen as well."

"How long did that last?"

"I don't know - a few seconds maybe. It was hard to tell."

"And what happened next?"

"We were unfrozen."

"And that's all?"

"What else would there have been," she snapped. "We were frozen and then unfrozen and then the Colonel told Teal'c to stay out and we got our things together –"

"Your things?" Lee frowned.

"Yeah- you know _things_. We carry things on missions Dr. – _things_. Well, we got them together and left the damned place and then Teal'c and Daniel met us and then we came home." Her voice steadily grew louder and quicker as she talked and Dr. Lee started slowly backing away, his eyes wide. " _That's_ what happened next. Is there anything else you wanted to know?"

"Uh -"

"Carter?"

Ja – the Colonel's voice interrupted her rant and she took a deep breath and slowly turned. Suddenly she realized that she'd just about lost it and closed her eyes. God, what was wrong with her. "Sir?"

"Everything okay?"

"Yes Sir – uh Dr. Lee and I were just trying to open the – thing."

"I see," Jack looked over at the globe and wished that he had his P90 with him so he could – "no luck?" he asked hopefully.

"No Sir," Lee answered breathlessly. "Uh Major Carter said it had opened on the planet."

"Yeah, yeah it did," O'Neill answered shortly, not offering any more details. He looked over at Sam, his gaze intense on her. "Daniel thinks it may be a – uh – fertility globe," he said quietly.

"A _what_?" Sam asked, confused.

"He said that the temple thing was for couples having trouble conceiving and that they went there for help."

"To _conceive_?" Sam asked, her eyes like two glowing saucers.

"Mmm hmm. So maybe you should –uh – not stay here?" Sam nodded, and then looked at the object with fear. She began to slowly back away from it.

"But how would it do that?" Bill asked, overhearing the Colonel and turning to stare at the object. "If all it did was make you freeze it's hard to see how it could affect fertility. I mean, you would have had to," he stopped and suddenly looked embarrassed. "Of course nothing happened, so uh – I don't," he stopped and glanced between the two strained looking officers. "Maybe I should," he gestured towards the door, "go". I'll – uh - come back Major, Colonel. Uh – just let me know when you uh -" with that he was gone out of the door, practically running over Teal'c and Daniel who were just entering.

"Any luck opening it up?" Daniel asked as they entered. He and Teal'c looked back and forth between their two frozen teammates. "Uh guys?"

"What?" Sam and Jack both swiveled and stared at their teammates.

"I just asked if you had gotten it open. The device."

That caused both of the officers to swivel back to peer at the globe, distaste clear on their faces.

"No," Jack shook his head. "And personally I think it's best _left_ unopened. I say we jettison it into space."

"I think that sounds like a good idea Sir," Sam agreed. "Let's tell the General."

That caused Teal'c to lift his eyebrow and stare at Daniel. Things were strange.

"Well, now that we've settled that, I think I'm ready to head off on vacation," Jack said, sounding oh so casual. "The General's given me two week's leave. I'm going to my cabin."

"I'm off as well," Sam said, also sounding suspiciously casual. "I'm going to stay at my brother's."

"Well, have fun Carter."

"You too Sir," she answered. With that both of them turned and exited the lab, leaving Daniel and Teal'c to wonder what in the world had just happened.

"Teal'c?"

"I have no idea Daniel Jackson." He sighed and looked once more at the obstinately closed object. "Even now I have difficulty understanding humans."

"Yeah, sometimes I do too Teal'c.


	3. And Another Cliché

_**Thank you as always for the incredible reviews! I'm so glad people are enjoying this cliché filled story! Keep those reviews coming and I'll keep writing!**_

He arrived at his cabin and felt as if a weight had been lifted off his shoulders. The last week, while they'd been waiting around to get cleared by the Docs, had been brutal. He'd had to pretend that everything was okay, that he was totally relaxed about having had wild sex with his subordinate and that he could go on as if nothing very momentous had occurred.

And wasn't that a complete and utter lie! The sad thing was he'd finally got to experience what he'd only dreamed about – and it had been wonderful. But the aftermath _hadn't_ been. In his dreams he'd been able to tell her how he felt, they'd made mad, passionate love and had lived happily ever after, together.

In real life he hadn't told her how he felt, he had made mad passionate love to her, and they _weren't_ living happily ever. Real life sucked.

But here at his cabin he could get away from all that. He could rest and relax and _not_ think about Carter or alien disco balls or irritating archaeologists or Shmuky aliens who screwed with one's life.

Nope. He was going to fish and – fish – and eat and drink beer and fish. It sounded heavenly.

It hit him while he was preparing dinner. One moment he was sticking a potato in the oven and the next minute he had Carter up against the kitchen table – the kitchen table his grandfather had built – and was ripping her clothes off.

He shook his head and took a deep breath. "For god's sake O'Neill, stop thinking about her."

The next time it hit was when he was putting the fork of fish into his mouth – and the forth morphed into the world's most beautiful breast and he was –

"Aargh!" he shot to his feet and dropped the fork and the fish. "What the _hell_!" He had to stop this. He was obsessing over Carter and it was sick. He couldn't think of her that way, not if he wanted to keep Sg1 together – and he did, he really, really did.

Over the next few days there were a number of times when, right in the middle of something, his mind would start thinking about making love with Carter. Often times it was memories of the damned temple – but there were others when there were – new – scenarios. There were even a few where they weren't making love, but instead were sharing a romantic dinner or a slow waltz or a walk along a beach.

He wondered if he was losing it. Maybe his brain had been permanently affected by the damned aliens.

The worst occurrence happened when his neighbor Mike came over to borrow his chain saw. He was chatting to the man when all of a sudden he felt as if Sam was undressing him.

He squirmed and kept talking, trying to keep his mind on overgrown bushes and broken chain saws rather than on hands that were touching him in places –

He gasped.

"Hey, you okay Jack?" Mike asked.

"Sorry – uh – I strained my back at work and it – twinged."

"Oh, sorry to hear that. You try a heating pad?"

His mind instantly went to Carter – naked Carter – the world's best heating pad.

"No – I'll uh have to try that."

"Mmm – and you could go and have someone give you a good rub. That'll loosen things up."

A good rub? God – he could feel Sam's hands stroking him, holding him – "God!" he groaned.

"Hey man – you need some help?" Mike asked. "You sound like you're in real pain."

"Sorry Mike," he gasped. "Yeah – the pain – is kind of bad. I think I'm gonna have to – uh – go take some Tylenol and lie down."

"Sure. You call me if you need anything, okay? I'll bring back the saw tomorrow."

"Okay – fine – yeah, anytime is good." Once Mike had left Jack hobbled back into his cabin. He _was_ in pain, but Tylenol wasn't going to help him.

He made his way into the bathroom, not believing he was going to do this!

By the time Jack made it back to the SGC he was neither rested nor was he anywhere near over the whole episode with Carter. In fact, he felt worse now than when he'd left. He figured he was going to have to talk to Warner – no way in hell was he talking to Frasier – and tell him that his brain was now obsessed with Naked Carter.

He laughed softly to himself as he made his way past the checkpoint. He could just imagine the reaction he'd get to _that_. It would ensure they wouldn't let Sam within a million miles of him or any team he commanded.

No – all he needed was to have a good talk with her, make the decision to lock that room up again – and then bury it in ten tons of concrete. That would solve things. He wouldn't ever think about Carter and breasts and legs and hot, steamy nights wrapped in her arms – again.

"Hey Jack, how was your vacation?" Daniel practically ran into him as he got off the elevator. "Did you have a good rest?"

"Hi Daniel. Yeah, it was good."

"Get a lot of fishing done?"

"Some."

"Good. It's been slow while you and Sam were gone. I went out a few times with Griff's team – they discovered a planet with what looked like late Middle Ages architecture and asked me to come along. It was great. You would have loved -"

"I'm sure I would have and I'm sorry to have missed it," Jack answered. "I'll look forward to reading the mission report."

Daniel stopped and stared. "You're going to read the mission report?"

"Of course," Jack frowned. "I always read them."

"No you don't. You _never_ read – oh wait, I get it."

"You do?"

"Yeah – you just said that so that I would stop telling you all about it. You're so transparent Jack."

"Really? Damn, I guess I'm losing my skills. Uh is Teal'c around?"

"Mmm hmm. The last I saw him he was headed down to the gym. Some of the new guys wanted a lesson in Jaffa armed combat."

"Sounds like fun," Jack commented as he walked – hell, where was he walking? He glanced around, a frown on his face, and then wanted to groan. He knew exactly where he was. He was on the floor with the science labs, including that of one –

"You want to see Sam?" Daniel said when he noticed where they were. "I don't know if she's in yet or not."

"I should let her get settled first," Jack said, doing a swift about face and heading back the way they'd just come.

"I'm sure she wouldn't mind if we went and said hi. I've missed her – and you of course. Things aren't nearly as exciting without the two of you," Daniel grinned.

"Sadly that probably true," Jack sighed. "Come on, let's go to the Commissary and grab a coffee. I could use the caffeine."

"Not used to getting up so early?"

"Nope. One of the nice things about vacation is you can sleep as long as you want."

"But what about the fish?"

"Oh, I let them sleep too."

It was only when they were seated, and facing each other, that Daniel got a good look at his friend. When he saw Jack clearly he frowned. "You okay?"

"Of course," Jack looked up, puzzled. "Why?"

"Oh – you look kind of – tired I guess."

"Probably the flight," Jack answered. "So, everything go okay here?"

Daniel suddenly grinned. "Oh, we had some interesting times while you were gone," he said.

"Interesting?" Jack frowned. "What happened?"

Just then Teal'c entered the Commissary and grabbed a drink and made his way over to where Jack and Daniel were sitting.

"Good morning O'Neill. It is good to see you."

"Backatcha Teal'c. How's things hangin?"

"They are hanging well O'Neill. You do not look rested."

Jack sighed. "The flight. Now Daniel was just about to tell me what happened when I was gone." Jack was almost sure he saw Teal'c _just_ about crack a grin, and he grew suddenly even more intrigued.

"Spill," he commanded.

"Well, you know that alien orb – the disco ball as you called it?"

"Yes," he frowned. "What happened?"

"Well, it finally opened."

"It did? Damn – did anyone get hurt?"

"No, not _hurt_ but it definitely affected people."

"God – how? What happened?"

"Well, Dr. Lee wasn't having any luck, so he asked Dr. Angstrom -"

"Angstrom?" Jack was trying to place who that was –

"Chloe," Daniel informed him. "You know, Felgar's Chloe."

"Oh, right," Jack's face cleared. "So what happened?"

"Well, Dr. Lee asked Chloe if she could come down and help him try and figure it out."

"And?"

"Well, she did. Chloe arrived in the lab and wasn't there for more than two or three minutes according to her, when the orb opened."

"Can we not call it "orb" Daniel?" Jack shuddered. "I still get nightmares thinking about orbs."

"Oh – sure. Well the alien _globe_ – is that better?" At Jack's nod he continued. "The globe opened and a light hit Chloe."

"Oh no," Jack dropped his head in his hands. "Don't tell me."

"Yup," Daniel smirked. "Felgar came in a few minutes later to take Chloe to lunch and found her standing there almost naked. She was in the process of undressing Dr. Lee."

"No," Jack slowly shook his head. "Please don't tell me – did anything happen?"

"Other than Felgar hitting the emergency alarm which caused a whole flock of emergency personnel to flood into the room – no, nothing really happened. Felgar arrived in enough time to stop things before they went – too far."

"Thank God," Jack breathed. "And Chloe? She's okay?"

"Mmm hmm – she's just fine. She's embarrassed of course – and angry as hell at Felgar for hitting the alarm."

"I don't blame her. Damn it – this is terrible."

"Why do you say it is terrible O'Neill? Nothing happened – they were stopped in time. And it is actually a good thing that this happened. It now corroborates your story and the effects of the – sphere."

"Right – I guess that's true. You're _sure_ Felgar stopped them in time?"

"Oh yeah – at least according to him. He's been telling everyone he got there in the nick of time. Chloe agrees, although she's still furious at him."

"What does Dr. Lee say?"

"We don't know," Daniel grinned. "He's locked himself in his lab and refuses to come out. The General has tried to talk to him but he insists that he has to stay in his lab because of some experiment. The General gave him 24 hours before he has to come out."

"So you see Jack, it _really_ wasn't your fault. It seems like that thing causes whoever is near to – uh – react the same way."

Jack frowned. "Why didn't it open for Dr. Lee when Sam was there?" he asked.

"Uh – I don't know. I didn't think of that."

"Maybe once you have – fulfilled the wishes of the object you are bonded to the one with whom you had -"

"Yeah, yeah," Jack quickly interrupted, not wanting to hear Teal'c again talk about _that. "_ I mean, it could be – wait. You're saying we've _bonded_?"

"I only suggested it might be a possibility O'Neill. Do you _feel_ bonded with Major Carter?"

"Yeah Jack – are you two – _bonded_?" Daniel smirked.

Jack looked at his two teammates with a stunned expression on his face and thought back to the last two weeks and the many, many – _many_ times he'd thought of Sam. But _bonded_. "No – of course not. Don't be ridiculous. Carter is simply a member of my team -"

"Who you had sex with!"

"Daniel, can you _please_ stop saying that!"

"Okay, but it's true."

Jack had a sudden and very unwelcome thought. "Hey, does everyone know what happened with Lee and Dr. Angstrom?"

"Mmm hmm," Daniel nodded.

"Indeed," Teal'c agreed. "Dr. Felgar was unable to be circumspect."

"Yeah, he blabbed it all over the base."

"So if they know about _them_ -?"

"There were a few rumors about you and Sam, but the General and Janet have mostly nipped them in the bud. The story got around that we were there and stopped anything from happening."

"Oh thank God!"

"Are you sure you are well O'Neill? You do not look well."

Jack let out a slow huff of air. "No, I'm not okay. I hate this whole damn thing. In fact, I hate aliens and alien doohickeys and alien temples and alien gods, _especially_ gods of sex and fertility. Hey – did they ever find out if that thing really is a fertility – uh – thing?"

"Not really. As soon as Felgar – uh – stopped things, the orb uh – globe snapped shut and we can't get it open."

"I still say we should jettison it," O'Neill growled.

"I think the General agrees with you," Daniel grinned. "Instead he's going to send it to Area 51 and let the scientists there deal with it."

Jack nodded – pleased that the damned thing was going to be taken out of the SGC. He still didn't trust it.

* * *

Sam admitted that she was hiding in her lab. If it had been _before_ – she had now divided her life into before sex with the Colonel and after sex with the Colonel – well, if it had been before she would have made her way to the Commissary where she was pretty sure the guys would be and would have joined them for breakfast. Instead she stayed closed behind her door, dreading the moment she had to face _him._

Her vacation was supposed to be her time to get everything straight in her mind, to put it all behind her and to decide to move forward as if nothing had happened. Instead she spent her whole vacation fantasizing about her CO. She couldn't stop _thinking_ about sex with him. But it wasn't just sex, she had to admit to herself. She'd also fantasized her fair share of romantic, loving moments. She especially liked the time she'd imagined them dancing together on a romantic balcony overlooking the Mediterranean Sea. She sighed, thinking back to that with a smile on her face.

But there had also been other times that were very confusing. She found herself remembering things and fantasizing about things at the oddest moment. They would just pop into her mind and cause no end of problems.

She found herself having erotic dreams when she was sitting in a movie theater watching a Disney movie with her nephew and niece for god's sake! It was awful.

So she hoped that now that she was back to work – and if she kept busy – that the dreams, both waking and sleeping ones, would cease. They had to, because there was no way in hell she was going to survive if they didn't. They were seriously getting in the way of her being able to function.

She looked at her watch and sighed. There was a briefing at 0900 hours and it was getting close. She'd soon be seeing him. She just hoped she could hold it together.

* * *

"Carter," Jack nodded his head at her as she took her seat and gave her a crooked smile. "How was your vacation?"

"It was good Sir – mostly family. How about yours?"

"Good – it was good. Mostly fish."

She giggled at that and the ice was broken. She closed her eyes, thanking her lucky stars that her commander was Jack O'Neill. He knew how to make everyone feel better – except aliens.

"So, how _are_ you?" he asked softly, seriously, suddenly destroying her feeling that she could just forget everything and go on as if nothing had happened.

"I'm fine Sir. And you?"

"Carter, you don't have to give me the party line! I want to know how you're really doing. This whole thing has been -"

"Hi guys," Daniel walked in, followed closely by Teal'c. Jack wanted to groan. How did Daniel _do_ that? He had a knack for always interrupting at the worst possible times.

"Hi Daniel," Sam said, giving him a huge smile, obviously much happier to see her teammate than her CO. Jack felt a strong desire to snap at her, instead he glared at Daniel, who gave him a confused look.

"Uh hi Sam. How are you? You're looking – uh – so, what did you do on your vacation?"

"Oh you know, the usual stuff. I played with the kids, spent time with my sister-in-law – she took me shopping for clothes, all that family kind of stuff." And spent hours dreaming hot and very wet dreams about her Commanding Officer, she said to herself.

"Good – so - uh, ready to go back out there?"

"Out where?" Sam looked at him, confused. Her mind was still on the feel of O'Neill's butt, held tightly- oh get a _grip_ Sam.

"You know – through the gate. Uh, we are still a team aren't we?"

"Yes," Jack snapped, still ticked off at Daniel. "Of course we are. The General should – ah, hello Sir," he said, relieved at the appearance of Hammond. "Sg1 is all here Sir – and ready to go."

* * *

Of course it wasn't that easy. Both Carter and he were required to meet with the base shrink – thank god McKenzie had transferred out – before getting cleared to go through the gate and to both remain on Sg1. Jack just prayed that the new doctor – Dr. Hutchings – wasn't smarter than McKenzie.

And he wasn't. He passed both Colonel O'Neill and Major Carter with flying colors, even commenting to the General that he'd rarely seen two officers quite so healthy mentally, especially considering all they'd been through.

Hammond looked at the new doctor incredulously but then nodded. Who was he to argue with a noted psychiatrist, even if that noted psychiatrist didn't know shit from honey.

"So, they're clear to resume missions?"

"Oh yes, they'll do fine," the doctor nodded.

"And what about serving together?"

"There should be no problems there. I spoke to them both about that and they've been able to work through any issues. Their attitudes are very mature and professional and I'm sure they'll be able to work together with no problem."

So, his new base psychiatrist was an idiot. George sighed and rubbed his head, wondering if he should ask for a second opinion? But then he thought of Jack and of Carter and decided to let it go. If there was anyone, in this world or any other, who could figure things out, it was Sam Carter and Jack O'Neill. He just prayed they wouldn't destroy each other in the process.

It was another week before they were cleared to go on a mission. It was to a planet Griff's team had already visited and the locals were interested in establishing relations with Earth. They had technology that could be useful for Earth while they needed help with their food supply, which had been severely affected by drought.

"The natives are friendly and relaxed, Jack," Griff had told him. "I think you'll like them."

"Good, I could use some decent aliens for a change." Griff laughed and slapped him on the back. "And as far as I could see, there weren't any disco balls anywhere."

"Piss off!" Jack rolled his eyes. Were they ever going to live this down?

Jack was pretty sure that the General had arranged it so their first mission back would be a good one, hence the friendly natives. Griff had even told him they had a lot of cute kids and they'd been told Jack would teach them 'baseball'. So he was actually looking forward to the trip for a change.

* * *

"Where's Carter?" Jack frowned, looking at the two other members of his team. It wasn't like her to be late for a mission and the three of them had been waiting at the base of the ramp for almost ten minutes.

"I'm here Sir, sorry," a breathless sounding Sam rushed into the gate room. "My apologies Sir – I was having trouble - uh – sorry."

Jack frowned and her and then gave a sharp nod. Carter was never late so he decided not to say anything, although he did regard her closely. Suddenly his eyes narrowed and he walked over to his 2IC. "Carter?" She was looking rather strange – he couldn't quite tell what it was, although he thought she looked rather pale – rather green -

Without warning Sam threw up – violently – all over the front of the Colonel. She'd been feeling nauseated all morning but had forced herself to ignore it, determined not to miss this, their first mission back. She stared in horror at the mess all over the front of the Colonel's vest.

He slowly bent his head down to peer at the dripping goo, and had to swallow back his own nausea. "Uh – you okay Carter?" he asked inanely.

"Sam! Are you okay? What's wrong?" Daniel rushed up to her side.

"Major Carter, you'd better make your way to the Infirmary immediately," the General's voice came over the loud speaker. "Walter, shut the gate and get a clean up crew in there. Colonel O'Neill, this mission is postponed. I suggest you go and uh -"

"Yes Sir," he said, trying _not_ to look down this time. "Daniel, help Carter to the Infirmary. Teal'c," he turned to speak to the Jaffa – who immediately stepped back and away from Jack, a look of – disgust – on his face. "You can help me."

"I would rather not O'Neill," Teal'c scowled. "I will assist Major Carter. Daniel Jackson, you may -"

"Nope – I've got Sam," Daniel said, taking Sam's arm and escorting her to the Infirmary. "Come on Teal'c, be brave. It's just a little vomit."

"It is not 'a little' Daniel Jackson," Teal'c answered, looking anywhere but at Jack.

"Oh for cryin' out loud," Jack said. He began to stomp after Daniel and Carter, dripping stuff all along the gate room floor. Teal'c followed a good five feet behind, careful to watch where he was stepping.

The four of them made it to the Infirmary, where Janet took one look and escorted Sam to a bed. She then reached over and handed Jack some disposable gloves. "Go to the bathroom and strip. I'll have an orderly get you some scrubs. The clothes need to go in a bag – I'll have someone bring you one as well. We'll need to make sure this isn't contagious or some alien virus."

"May we leave Dr. Frasier?" Teal'c asked, his eyes focused on a point on the wall.

"Nope, sorry Teal'c. You and Daniel have to stay until we find out what this is."

There was a huge sigh from the big guy and he made his way to the bed farthest away from O'Neill, who glared after him. The Colonel dripped his way to the bathroom – feeling rather like he wanted to throw up himself.

He carefully stripped his clothes – putting everything but his boots into the bag. Even they had received an anointing so he left them beside the bag and a few minutes later – after scrubbing himself down as much as possible – he padded his way back to the Infirmary in bare feet and scrubs.

"That's better," Daniel announced from on top of one of the beds. He was sitting there swinging his feet. Teal'c was still on the farthest bed, looking rather disgruntled.

"Hey, don't Jaffa ever throw up?" O'Neill tossed over.

"They do not."

"Really? Wow – I might actually consider a snake then. Throwing up is the worst."

He heard a muffled groan from behind the curtain. "You okay in there Carter?"

"No," she replied, her voice sounding strangled.

"Still feeling sick?"

There was a pause and then he heard her throwing up again. "Guess so."

"Yeah, she's been doing that since we got here," Daniel frowned. "I wish Janet would let us go somewhere else."

"Hey, that's not very nice. We should support our teammates."

"It's not like we can do anything," he muttered. "I just feel sick listening to her."

"As do I," Teal'c responded ponderously.

"You two are terrible," Jack shook his head. "I'm here for you Carter," he called.

"Thank you Sir, she answered weakly.

"Hey, where's Janet?"

"She has gone to look at Major Carter's blood work and urine sample," Teal'c informed him.

"Okay – too much information there Teal'c. You can just tell us she went to look at Carter's tests."

"That is what I said."

"Yeah, yeah – okay." Jack pulled himself up onto a spare bed and joined the other two men in swinging his legs. The room was silent except for the occasional sound of Carter throwing up. Jack wondered whether she had anything left if her stomach. From the amount that had ended up on him he was surprised that she was still able to vomit anything up.

It was a few minutes more before Janet returned. "Okay Teal'c, you and Daniel can go," she said briskly.

"Really?" Both men hopped down and looked like they were going to run to safety. "Uh – is everything okay?" Daniel stopped and asked, looking slightly shamefaced.

"Everything's fine. Sam will be okay."

"Good! Uh Sam," Daniel called. "Take it easy, okay."

"Okay."

"Major Carter, I hope you feel better quickly."

"Thanks Teal'c,"

After the two men were gone Jack stared at Janet. "Uh, how come you didn't let me leave? Do I have whatever it is?"

"No, no you don't, but I did need to talk to you." She walked over and peeked at Sam and then pulled the curtain back.

"Do you know what it is? Is it related to that damned planet?" Jack asked, looking in concern at a totally white-faced, miserable looking Carter.

"Yes," Janet sighed, "It is."

"So, what is it? Did the globe cause some kind of virus or something."

"Or something," Janet said.

" _Janet_!" Sam cried. "What the hell is it and is there a cure?"

"Well, not a cure exactly, but you will get better." She sighed once more and suddenly Jack had a terrible premonition. He looked at the doctor with scared looking eyes.

"Doc?"

"Yes Colonel," she sighed and closed her eyes. "Sam, you're pregnant."


	4. A Mean Piece of Toast

_**Thank you for the continued reviews! I'm so sorry I can't get back to people right now – but please know it means a huge amount to have you comment and review, so thank you.**_

 _ **And a special note to the reviewer who critiqued my use of the word 'well'. Thanks for that! I honestly do appreciate constructive criticism. I don't claim to be a great writer but I do like to improve when I can. Things like that are easy for an author to miss – so thank you and hopefully you'll notice less 'wells'!**_

"What? But you said – but she's on – how can she be _pregnant_?" Jack sputtered. He couldn't look at Carter, although he had a good idea that she was feeling as stunned as him.

"I don't know Colonel. She shouldn't be. She was on birth control and although it's not 100% effective, it's close enough."

"But – we don't know this is because of the alien thing do we? It doesn't have to be the damn globe. I mean, it could have been – someone else."

"It was the globe Sir," Carter's wobbly voice interrupted. "It couldn't be anything or anyone else because I haven't – I didn't – it was the aliens Sir."

Jack thrust his hands in his hair, totally stunned as he sank down on the chair by Carter's bed. "What are we going to do?"

"I don't know," she croaked. "All I know is I feel sick." She began to look distinctly green again, and without missing a beat the Colonel picked up the bowl by her bed and handed it to her.

"Doc, is there anything you can do to help her?" he asked to the sounds of Sam dry heaving into the bowl.

"Yes, of course," she started as if she'd totally forgotten her patient. "I'll get something for you Sam. It should help you feel better. You'll have to try and drink something too so you don't get dehydrated."

"Mrgh," the Major groaned.

"If you can't hold anything down we'll see about an IV but it's too early for that. I'll be right back. And don't worry guys. We'll figure this out."

"Fine for her to say," Jack mumbled. At Carter's distressed look he grimaced. "Sorry Major. It's just – a bit of a shock."

"A _bit_? Sir, this is a disaster. What are we going to do?"

Jack sighed and again put his hands through his hair – which was now a wild mess of and standing straight up. "Well, first thing we have to do is get you feeling better. Janet's right. There's no point worrying about anything right now. You're feeling sick and miserable and that's not a time to figure anything out. Once you're better we can discuss this calmly and come up with a plan."

"Plan?"

"Sure Carter – plan. We're good at plans remember. We're Sg1."

"I somehow don't think this is something our team is really prepared for Sir."

"Hey, we've dealt with the weird the wild and the wonderful. What's a little pregnancy after that."

"It's not the pregnancy I'm worried about Sir – it's the baby."

Damn it! He'd been trying not to think about that. Pregnancy was one thing – a baby, an actual child – a child that was part of both of them – that was a whole different thing.

"That's a long time from now Sam," he quickly pointed out. "Just – concentrate on getting better."

"What about the General?" she sniffed.

He sighed. "Let me handle him. I'm sure he'll understand."

"I won't be able to go through the gate," she wailed. Soon he had a weeping woman on his hands and, if anything, that was harder to deal with than a puking woman. He moved closer to the bed and patted her on the shoulder. The next thing he knew Sam had thrown herself at him and was crying hysterically onto his shoulder.

"Janet," he cried in relief when she reappeared.

"What happened?"

"She just realized she won't be able to go through the gate," he told the Doc.

"Ths nml," sniff, "n wt m fr sy n fns ot," wail. "I dt nw –dooooo!" sniff, wail, snort.

"Yeah – that," O'Neill nodded at the crying woman in his arms, having absolutely no idea what she was saying.

Janet simply raised an eyebrow at him and slowly pried Carter away from him – much to his relief.

"Here honey," she handed the crying woman a Kleenex. "And I've got something for the nausea. Here, take this. Colonel, why don't you leave us alone for a while? I'm going to help Sam get freshened up and settled into a room."

"I don't need to stay Janet," Sam hiccupped, not looking at her commanding officer.

"Just for a little while – until I know you can keep something down. Come on, you'll feel better once you've taken the medication. After that I'll help you take a sponge bath and change into some clean clothes."

Sam nodded, and hiccupped again. Jack slowly retreated to the door, his eyes never leaving the women. He could honestly say that he'd never been so happy to cry uncle and run away from a situation more fraught than a battle with a platoon of Jaffa.

"I'll – uh – just go," he pointed to the door. Janet gave him a look and a swift nod – at which sign he was out the door and half-way down the hallway. He wanted to be sure they wouldn't catch him and call him back.

He knew he had to go and see the General, but he needed a few minutes to calm down and figure out WHAT THE HELL HE WAS GOING TO DO! She was _pregnant_. The bloody aliens had screwed with his life _again_. He was going to go back to that planet and plant C4 around the temple and blow it to smithereens. He was then going to go and find that damned globe and launch it into space and _then_ blow it up. He was going to kill Daniel – why, he didn't quite know, but he was sure it had something to do with the fact that the man liked alien cultures and thought fertility gods were cool. After that he was going to zat Teal'c, just to show him that it was cowardly to run away from a puking Major. After that he was going to inform Griff and Reynolds, Dixon and Ferretti, and each and every Airman, officer, scientist, cook and latrine washer on base that if they so much as crossed their eyes at him he'd shoot them. And if there was _one_ baby joke he'd - he'd ask Thor to send the culprit to the alien plant planet and let them enjoy _those_ apples.

"Hey Jack – how's Sam?" Daniel's cheerful voice interrupted his internal rant. He practically leapt at the other man, who backed away quickly. "Whoa – what's wrong?"

"What's _not_ wrong Daniel? Bloody dead aliens f #ked with my life and with Carter's life and now – now – damn it! What the hell did I do to deserve this?"

"Deserve what?" Daniel asked, sounding scared. "Is she okay?"

"Sure, yeah, she's fine! Except for the fact that her career is screwed – mine too probably _and_ she's going be puking for months!"

"For _months_? Is it that bad? What is it, a virus?"

"No – it's not a god-damned virus!"

"Hey, I just asked. Some kind of bacteria or something?"

"Aargh! No, it's not a bacteria. It's a _baby!"_

"A baby?" Daniel looked puzzled. "What baby? She came in contact with a baby? I don't get it Jack."

"No, you don't Daniel, because your head is up your ass! Now I've got to go and see the General. And stay away from Sam."

"O – kay," Daniel looked after Jack as he disappeared down the hallway. "That was weird," he shook his head. "Where in the heck would Sam have come into contact with a baby and what -" Daniel's footsteps suddenly slowed until he came to a complete stop. The Airman walking behind him didn't notice and crashed into him.

"I'm sorry Sir," the young man stuttered, stepping back quickly. Daniel barely noticed him and just waved his hand and resumed walking.

"A baby?" he whispered. He abruptly stopped again. "Oh my _god_ – a _baby."_ He started running down the hall. " _Teal'c, Teal'c – where are you?"_

"What is it Daniel Jackson?" Teal'c stepped out of his room and frowned at the frantic looking archaeologist. Without saying a word Daniel grabbed his arm and pulled him back into his room and then slammed the door.

"What is wrong?" Teal'c wanted to know, worried at the look of stunned surprise on the other man's face.

"Teal'c – they're having a baby!"

"Who is having a baby?"

"Jack and Sam. That's why she was sick. She's pregnant and experiencing morning sickness."

"It is past noon Daniel Jackson. She cannot be suffering from morning sickness."

"No, no – that's just what it's called. It can happen at any time."

"Then why do they call it -"

"For _god's sake Teal'c_. Didn't you hear what I just said?"

"Yes, you just informed me that O'Neill and Major Carter are going to have a baby and that Major -" Teal'c's voice crashed to a halt. "What do you mean Daniel Jackson?"

"Mean? I mean they're going to have a baby! Sam is pregnant."

"And that is why she vomited all over O'Neill?" the big guy said with relief.

"Yeah, I guess so – but what difference does that make?"

"I was worried it was something that we might get from her. I did not want to vomit."

"Oh for god's sake Teal'c – what does that matter? The issue is that Jack and Sam are pregnant!"

"How is it that O'Neill is pregnant? I thought it was Samantha, and that men -"

" _Will you be quiet!_ God! Teal'c, I just meant that Jack and Sam are going to have a baby – together – and they can't have a baby. No, don't say it! I mean that they're not supposed to have a baby together. This is bad Teal'c, really, really bad."

"I do not think it is bad at all. O'Neill loves children and will be a good father. I believe that Samantha Carter will also be a good mother. She is a woman of courage and compassion."

"But Teal'c – they're not together! And then there are the regulations that prohibit this kind of thing. They could get in big trouble."

"Has it not already been determined that neither of them were responsible for what happened? It was the alien object that made them have relations and this is the result. It was not their fault."

"No – that's true – and maybe they won't get into trouble, although it'll look bad for Sam. I mean, she can't exactly tell anyone that her pregnancy was caused by aliens."

"No, she will tell everyone that her pregnancy was caused by O'Neill."

"See, and that's the problem. And the worse problem is that they're not even a couple."

"I am sure they will be now," Teal'c informed him. "O'Neill is in love with Samantha Carter so this is a good thing."

"He is not," Daniel scoffed.

"Indeed he is."

"No way!"

"Yes, way Daniel Jackson. He has loved her for a long time but has not been able to do anything about it because of your Air Force regulations."

"Hey, it's not my Air Force! But I think you're crazy. Jack thinks of her as his first officer, that's all."

Teal'c stared at his friend for a few seconds and then finally shook his head. "For an intelligent man you are sometimes very blind. I am sure everything will work out fine for O'Neill and Major Carter – and their child."

Daniel left Teal'c's room more frustrated than before he entered. How his Jaffa friend could possibly believe that Jack loved Sam was beyond him. Why, Jack had never shown the first bit of partiality for his subordinate – except during that "going Neanderthal" thing. Jack had actually slugged him then, but that had been because of the virus. No, he was pretty sure there was nothing between them.

Which meant that this situation was going to be hard for the two of them. He'd have to offer to help them through it.

* * *

After his brief conversation with Daniel, Jack decided to take the bull by the horns and speak to the General. He was not looking forward to the conversation.

" _What_!" Hammond practically yelled, which was _not_ like the General, not like him at all. Jack winced and had trouble meeting his superior's eyes.

"It was the thing Sir – the alien thing."

"But I thought Dr. Frasier said Major Carter was on birth control?"

"She did but the – thing – fritzed with it." He shrugged. "Don't ask me how – I don't understand either – but she's pregnant."

"You're sure?"

"Well, she threw up all over me, which I know isn't proof, but then the Doc did some tests and said she was. I don't think Frasier would say that unless she was sure."

"No," Hammond sighed and rubbed his head, "she wouldn't. I don't know what we're going to do Jack. This is going to put the fox among the chickens!"

"I know. I'm sorry Sir."

"It wasn't your fault son. You're the victim here, you and Major Carter. And we'll work it out – somehow." He sat there for a moment, contemplating his hands. After a while he took a deep breath and let it out slowly. "Tell Major Carter not to worry. We'll figure things out so as not to harm either of your careers. There will be those that will try and use this to their advantage, but fortunately we have adequate proof that this wasn't your fault. In the end there's nothing anyone can do."

"What about Jacob?"

"Huh?" Jack knew at that moment what a "deer in the headlights" looked like. He jut never thought he'd equate that with General Hammond.

"Jacob. Jacob Carter."

"Oh." Hammond stared at him. "How do you feel about staying with Thor for awhile Jack," he suggested. "And can I come with you?"

Jack's eyes closed and he was pretty sure he saw his life pass before him. "Yeah, I'll consider that Sir. Maybe we could just forget to tell him."

"And when he comes to visit?"

"Tell him Carter is away."

"He'll eventually grow suspicious."

"Not if we can hold him off for ten or twenty years. By that time we can hide the kid when he comes. Or we can pretend it's Siler's."

Hammond suddenly laughed. "I'm sure it won't be that bad Jack, although I'll have a chat with Siler, just in case."

Jack walked away from Hammond's office a few minutes later, feeling a bit better. He and Hammond had discussed a few further details and he knew that the General had their backs. With a groan he realized he'd better go and check on Carter. It's not that he didn't want to see her, it's just that he didn't want to deal with anything right now, especially not a pregnant Carter.

"How is she Doc?" he asked, sticking his head around the corner of Frasier's office.

"Colonel! She's fine Sir – she's sleeping. Do you want to come in?"

He looked at her a bit suspiciously, worried that she was going to blame him for this, but eventually he nodded and stepped in the room.

"How are _you_ doing Colonel?" Janet asked kindly.

He sat down cautiously. "Uh – okay I guess."

"Really?"

He considered for a moment and then shook his head. "No – if you want the truth, I'm freaking out. Why did this happen Doc? You said she was on birth control."

"I know – and I'm sorry but I have no idea what happened. All I can think is that somehow the alien technology messed with her hormones and counteracted the effects of the birth control. But I'm afraid it doesn't really matter at this point. It's already done."

"I know," he acknowledged. "I just – I hate this Doc."

"You don't want a child?"

"Hell no – I mean – I don't know. I haven't even thought about it. I wasn't planning on having kids again. I mean, I don't – didn't – don't even have a girlfriend and now I'm having a kid. Unless Carter decides to terminate?" He suddenly realized that that was a possibility and it – crap, it scared the hell out of him. "Is she thinkin' of it?"

"We haven't talked about it Sir but if she does, it's her decision, you know that."

"Of course I do – it's just, hell, I don't know. This is so screwed up!"

"I know. I'm sorry. Look, Sam should be feeling better once she wakes up. I've given her something for the nausea and she should be able to go home. Why don't you take her and talk to her. I think the two of you need to discuss this in a calm manner – once she's feeling better."

"Do you think that's a good idea?" he asked, panicked. "Maybe Daniel would be better. I mean, he's got understanding down to an art."

"Colonel," she laughed, "you're the baby's father, not Daniel."

"Are we sure about that?" he frowned. "Maybe the alien machine picked the best candidate. Daniel is a much better -"

" _Colonel_! Sam did not have – relations – with Daniel. No, I'm afraid you're the father and you're the one who is going to have to talk with her."

"I know," he finally admitted. "Okay – let me know when she's awake and I'll drive her home and we'll – talk."

"Hey, don't make it sound as if you're going to your execution. This is _Sam_ we're talking about. You and she are friends and can work this out."

"Okay." He stood up slowly. "Thanks Janet. I appreciate your support."

"No problem Jack," she smiled. "I'm always here for you both, you know that. And don't hesitate to call if you need something."

"Yeah – you can't do time travel, can you?" he muttered as he walked out. What he wouldn't give to go back in time a couple of months.

It was a couple of hours later when he got the call to pick Carter up and drive her home. He made his way slowly down to the Infirmary, literally dragging his feet. As he told the Doc, it's not as if he didn't want to see Carter it was just – he didn't want to face Carter – not a pregnant Carter. Not a Carter pregnant with his child.

"Hey," he said after she called that it was okay to enter. "How ya feelin'?"

"Better," she told him with a small smile. "Still a bit nauseated, but nothing like before."

"Good. That's good."

"I'm sorry Colonel – about throwing up on you."

He grinned and moved closer to the bed "Nah, it's okay Carter. I've experienced worse. I'm just glad you're okay."

"How's Teal'c?" she asked suddenly, a gleam in her eye.

Jack laughed. "Okay I think, although he was pretty grossed out by the vomit. I guess Jaffa don't get sick to their stomach."

She giggled. "It was funny to see him so upset."

"Mmm, although he should have put that aside to support you."

"I appreciated _your_ support Sir."

"Anytime Carter." He paused for a moment. "Actually, that's what I wanted to talk to you about."

"Sir?"

"Whatever you decide Sam – you know, about the," he gestured towards her stomach, "I'm here for you. I'm going to support you through this, and if you decide to have the – uh – you know, then I'll support it too."

"I'm keeping it," she said, sounding rather fierce.

He didn't want to analyze his feelings at this moment, but he couldn't deny the swift jolt of relief, followed by an even bigger jolt of terror at her words. It looked like he was going to be a father again.

"Good. Then I'm here for both of you."

"Thank you Sir," she smiled at him softly, although he could see the tension around her eyes, and the fear inside. "That means a lot."

"Yes, well, we're both in this together. But we don't have to think about all of that right now. We have plenty of time to figure things out. Right now you need to get out of the Infirmary and go home and rest and I'm your taxi driver."

"I'm fine to drive on my own Colonel," she protested. "I don't need to bother you to take me home."

"It's no bother and yes you do – doctor's orders. I'm gonna drive you to your place to pick up some clothes and then you're coming over and staying with me."

" _What_? No – oh no Colonel, I can't do that."

"Yes you can and you will. The General has okayed it and the doctor has ordered it! Look Sam – until you're on your feet again you need to just rest and have someone look after you. This has been pretty stressful and I don't want you to be on your own. Daniel's place is too small, Teal'c lives on base and Janet doesn't have a spare bedroom – I do."

"But – what will people say?"

He chuckled softly. "Sam, at this point I think that's the least of our worries. You're pregnant with my child so the fact that you're gonna stay with me for awhile shouldn't bother anybody. And anyway, we don't have to say anything. Come on – I promise to let you rest and you'll have your own room and bathroom. I'll even go out and buy some nice food."

"I don't think I feel up to eating anything," she told him, turning a bit pale.

"I'll fix you a nice, plain piece of toast and something to drink. Come on – get dressed. I'll be back in ten minutes."

After the Colonel had left Sam sat on the bed for a few more seconds. She thought about the man with whom her life was now inextricably linked. She wasn't sure what was going to happen, and she was still in shock and very frightened. But there was one thing she did know, and that was if she had had the chance to pick someone to be the father of her child, Jack O'Neill would have been at the top of the list.

She smiled and slowly and carefully got out of bed. She didn't know what was ahead, but for now she was going to listen to the Colonel and try to relax. He was right, they had time to figure things out. Right now all she wanted to do was to climb into bed and sleep.

"Here ya go," he carried in a stack of towels and laid them on the chair in her room. You can use the hall bathroom as your own. I have an ensuite in my bedroom. There are extra blankets in the hall closet if you get cold and help yourself to anything in the kitchen. If you need anything, anything at all, just let me know."

"I will, thank you Sir."

"Just one thing Carter."

"Yes Colonel?"

"While you're here as my guest you are to call me Jack – not Sir, not Colonel, okay?"

"Are you sure Sir?"

He grinned. "Yes, I'm sure. Look, we're having a baby together Carter. I think calling me Jack is permitted."

"Alright, I will – under one condition. You have to call me Sam."

"Sam – I can do that. Not Samantha?"

" _Not_ Samantha. The only people who call me that are Teal'c – sometimes, and my father when he's mad at me."

"Okay. Uh, speakin of your father C – Sam -"

She closed her eyes. "Don't remind me. I'm seriously considered running away before he comes to Earth again."

"Hammond suggested we go live with Thor."

"Mmm – might work, although I suspect that Thor would be no match for my father if he decided to come after us."

"I also suggested we bribe Siler and make him pretend the kid is his."

" _Siler_?" she laughed. "Why Siler?"

"He kind of looks like me and I figured he'd be easy to bribe."

"I'll consider it. I'm sure my father will be just fine," she said after a few seconds.

"Really?" he asked hopefully.

"No. He's going to kill us. Or at least he'll kill you. Me he might just lecture."

"Great. The Nox! They can hide themselves and their city. I'll go live with them."

"Sounds like a plan." She suddenly grinned. "I can hardly wait to see you with long, fluffy hair and twigs sticking out of it."

He rolled his eyes. "Anything else you need Sam?"

She glanced around the room. "No, this looks great S – Jack. I'm just going to take a nap and then I'll come down and maybe take you up on that offer of toast."

"Good," he walked to the door and turned back. "And I make a mean piece of toast!"

"I'm sure you do Jack. I'm looking forward to it."

As Jack headed back to his kitchen he found himself whistling. Having Sam Carter here for a few days was going to be interesting and maybe even fun. He'd have to work on getting her to stay.

"One piece of toast coming up!"


	5. Opening Doors

_**I went away for the long weekend (July 4th weekend in the US) and ended up in a place with no WiFi access. Horrors! I went through withdrawal and also couldn't post this chapter. So now I'm home and wired up again so here you go!**_

He woke up to the sound of someone throwing up. It took him some time to figure out what – or rather who it was making the sound. Without any more thought he kicked off his covers and stood up. Looking at the clock, he was surprised to see that it was morning already. He'd slept more deeply than he had expected.

He padded his way down the hall to the main bathroom and tapped on the door. The sounds within had stopped but he wanted to make sure she was okay.

"Yes?" a faint voice responded.

"Sam? Are you alright in there?"

"No," her voice waivered. "I feel awful."

"Can I come in?" While he waited for her answer he thought back to the many times Sam had faced pain, torture and even death. He was pretty sure she hadn't sounded as miserable those times as she did now. He forced himself not to grin, knowing that she was feeling truly awful. And then the realization that he was the cause of her misery wiped away any desire to smile.

He finally heard a soft groan and grabbed the door handle. "I'm coming in Sam," he said quickly. What he saw when he entered the room filled him with sympathy. While he'd never been pregnant – and hope to god he never would be – he _had_ suffered severe nausea and knew exactly how she was feeling. He again had to refrain from smiling over the fact that she was leaning up against the porcelain god. Thank goodness his cleaning lady had just been by.

"Sam?" he walked over and squatted down beside her. He gently pushed her hair out of her eyes. "Can I do something to help?"

"Shoot me? Please Sir," she whimpered. With a pathetic sounding groan she leaned her head on the edge of the toilet. Jack winced at the sight but she didn't seem to even notice.

"Sorry, I'm afraid the Air Force would frown on that and Daniel would give me hell," he told her, gently laying his hand on her back. "Are you finished? Why don't we get you to bed? You can rest all day if you like."

"Okay," she nodded, but didn't move. Jack smiled and again rubbed her back. "Here let me help you." He reached under her arms and carefully helped her stand. As she leaned against him Jack realized she was probably weak from vomiting who knows how long. With a shake of his head he reached down and picked her up, deciding carrying her to her room was going to be easier and faster.

He was surprised that she didn't complain but simply rested her head against his chest. She must really be feeling terrible, he decided. Soon they were back in her bedroom and he carefully laid her down. "I'm going to get you something to drink. You don't want to get dehydrated."

She nodded but just closed her eyes and burrowed under the covers. Hopefully the nausea was gone, at least for now. He'd better get her a bowl though – he was pretty sure it would come back.

"Here," he sat down on the side of the bed. "I made you some peppermint tea and I brought crackers, in case you feel like eating something."

Sam slowly pushed herself up and he propped the pillows behind her. She looked a teeny bit better, although she was still pale and sweaty looking. He felt terrible for her.

"Peppermint tea?" she whispered softly, surprise in her voice. "I'd never have pictured you as a peppermint tea kind of guy Sir."

Jack grinned. "Daniel brought it over."

"For you?"

"No." He grinned. "He – uh – stayed a few times when he'd had a bit too much to drink. He'd wake up the next morning feeling rotten – he doesn't do hangovers very well. So he brought the tea over just in case."

"Only Daniel would think of being prepared for a possible hangover with peppermint tea," she replied, taking the tray with the tea. "Thank you – and Daniel I guess." She sipped a bit of tea and closed her eyes. "That's good."

"Really?" he said, looking slightly revolted. He'd never had peppermint tea in his life.

"Do you want to try some crackers?" he asked after a moment. "Sometimes that helps morning sickness."

"Mmm – I'll wait until I've finished the tea. My stomach is still feeling pretty tender."

His face took on a look of concern. "How long were you throwing up?"

"I don't know. It felt like forever but it was probably only about half an hour or so."

"Too long," he shook his head. "I'll call Janet and ask her if she can give you a prescription for that stuff she gave you in the Infirmary."

"I don't want to take drugs if I don't have to," she argued.

"No, I know, but better that than being dehydrated. We'll get the prescription and if you don't have to take it that's fine, but at least we'll have it if you need it."

She looked like she was prepared to argue, but what the Colonel said was reasonable, so she bit her tongue and nodded. She hated when he was reasonable.

He smirked, seeming to know exactly what she was thinking. She just wished she had the energy – or the freedom – to argue. But she was still his subordinate and so she had to put up and shut up.

"You can say it Sam," he blurted suddenly.

"Sir?"

"You can tell me to go to hell you know. Here I'm not your commanding officer. I'm just a friend, so feel free to snap, yell or tell me to bugger off."

"Bugger off Sir?" she smiled.

"That's bugger off _Jack_. Remember – friends."

"Yes -"

" _Jack_ ," he reminded her.

"Jack."

"Good girl. Now, just relax. I'll be right back."

Sam watched as _Jack_ left the bedroom and leaned back against the pillow. She had to remember that – and to remember that they were in this together. But no matter how many times she told herself that she couldn't help feeing embarrassed at having her CO see her like this. She must look pathetic, she thought. She felt hot and sweaty and just plain gross. She should never had agreed to stay here, she decided abruptly, feeling an uncharacteristic bout of self pity. It was all because of that damn alien orb.

A few more minutes of embarrassment and pity and decided she should get up and go home. She felt awful still, but that was no excuse. Sam Carter was _not_ going to let a little thing like extreme nausea, exhaustion and fear keep her lying down in the Colonel's bedroom. Nope, she had to be strong.

She reached out her hand and grasped the edge of the comforter. She took a deep breath – on the count of three she'd throw back the covers and get up. Or maybe she'd do it on the count of five instead. Or she could – oh stop it Sam! Just do it! "One, two, -"

A soft tap on the door interrupted her counting and then Jack walked into the room. He was carrying what looked like a washcloth in his hand. "Here," he said, sitting down on the side of the bed and reaching out to her face. "I thought this might feel good." He proceeded to gently wipe the sweat off of her face. "When you're feeling better you can shower, but for now I think you should just relax. It's been a strange couple of days."

She nodded and with a sigh laid her head back down. Would it really hurt to stay for a little bit longer? She could go home later. The Colonel – no _Jack_ was right. She needed to relax for a bit. She took a deep breath and closed her eyes, allowing herself to drift.

Jack wandered out to the living room when it looked like Sam was going to snooze. He felt restless and unsure of - hell, of _everything._ He hadn't had the time to think about the situation in which they now found themselves. No, if he was being honest with himself he hadn't allowed himself to think about it.

He sat down heavily on the couch and stared at nothing and finally let the realization hit him. He was going to be a father again. While consciously he had understood that the moment he found out Sam was pregnant, he hadn't let himself _really_ think about it.

But now – now he could feel something stirring inside of him – in those places he usually tried to keep closed. He was afraid to open those places up, to allow himself to _feel_ , because if he did he was afraid that all the bad would come flooding out. He'd spent years trying to lock up the anger and pain and grief that was inside of him so that he could go on.

But now – could he deal with having a child and not open himself up? And what about Sam? Hell! He rubbed his hand through his hair. What the hell was he going to do about her? He'd be there for the child and for her but _what the hell did that mean?_ He wanted – no, this wasn't the time to think about what he wanted. He had to do the right thing by her and the baby. He just wished he knew what that was.

The soft tap on the door interrupted his thoughts, much to his relief, and he pushed himself to his feet, pretty sure who would be standing on the other side.

"Daniel, Teal'c. Come on in." He moved to the living room, knowing they were following.

"How is Major Carter?" Teal'c asked.

"Sleeping. She woke up with Morning Sickness again. It's hit her pretty hard so once she was feeling better she fell back asleep."

"Uh – how is she otherwise?" Daniel asked tentatively.

"Otherwise?" Jack's lips quirked.

"You know Jack – emotionally how's she doing?"

"You'll have to ask her Daniel. I'm sure she's upset – wouldn't you be?"

"If I was pregnant with your child?" Daniel grinned. "Yeah – I'd be a bit upset."

"Piss off Daniel," Jack said, although his tone was mild and he couldn't help a small grin of his own. He sat back down and waved to his friends to have a seat. "Don't even _think_ something like that. With the stuff we've come across you never know what could happen."

At that Daniel looked a bit panicked. "Oh God! Do you think there's actually something that could do that?" He looked down at his stomach as if expecting to see it suddenly grow bigger.

Jack laughed at the look on Daniel's face. "You never know. What, you wouldn't _want_ my child? I'm hurt."

"You would have very good looking children, O'Neill, Daniel Jackson," Teal'c said straight faced.

"Hopefully they would take after me rather than Danny though. Can you imagine a bunch of little Daniel's running around, touching things they weren't supposed to and constantly asking "why"?"

"And talking without ceasing?" Teal'c added.

"And wandering off and getting lost? Oh God yeah. Nope, let's hope they're like me."

Daniel rolled his eyes. "You two think you're so funny. And anyway if they were like you they'd probably blow up the house and piss off all the neighbors!"

"That is true O'Neill," Teal'c nodded sagely. "I fear it is good that it is actually Major Carter who is bearing your child. At least there is some hope that the child will exhibit common sense."

"Hey!" both Daniel and Jack cried. "I'm very sensible," Jack defended himself. When Daniel opened his mouth Jack shook his head. "No Daniel. You are very smart but _not_ sensible."

"Fine! If that's what you think of me Jack see if I'll _ever_ have your child."

"I'm crushed Jackson," he replied, looking dejected.

Daniel snorted, a small grin on his face. "Now Teal'c -"

"Do not even joke about that Daniel Jackson," Teal'c replied. "I do not wish to have a child with you. You are not my type."

The three men laughed, finding some relief in being able to joke about things. Although Jack said a short prayer that they would never find themselves in that situation. He'd been screwed with enough.

There were a few minutes of silence as each of them contemplated the present situation. It was, as usual, Daniel who broke the silence.

"How are you doing Jack?" he asked seriously.

"Me?" Jack huffed out a deep breath and rested his head on the back of the chair. "I don't know. This isn't exactly something I've prepared for. Damned alien technology!"

"You do know that we are here to support you O'Neill."

"Yeah, I know big guy. Unfortunately there's not much anyone can do. I'm afraid it's mostly between Carter and me."

"And the Air Force," Daniel reminded him.

"Thanks Danny! As if I needed a reminder."

"Sorry. But do you have any idea what they're going to do?"

"No, although Hammond said he's going to go to bat for us."

"Will they let you continue to serve together?" Daniel asked.

"No, I doubt it," Jack sighed, feeling a headache coming on. "But they won't let her go through the gate now anyway. She'll be assigned to lab duty for the duration of her pregnancy."

"Ooh – she's not going to like that."

"No, probably not but that's SOP. No one knows how going through the gate affects pregnancy."

"I do not believe it does," Teal'c interjected. "Jaffa women have been using the gates for many centuries without problem."

"That's good to know but I doubt if the Air Force will change its policy anytime soon. So for now she's grounded."

The three men sat quietly, imagining what this would mean to Sam. Jack finally grimaced and stood, feeling angry at all that had happened. "Anyone want some coffee?"

"I would like some O'Neill."

"Yeah, me too please," Daniel added.

"I would like some more of that peppermint tea if you have it Jack," Sam's voice startled the men and they looked up to see her standing on the step leading down into the living room.

"Carter! How are you feeling?"

"A little better, thanks," she smiled, although she still looked a bit pale and there were dark circles under her eyes. "Although you promised to call me Sam while we're here _Sir_."

"Right," he lifted his brows at her. " _Sam_. I'll – uh – make you that tea. Sit down," he told her as he headed towards the kitchen.

"Sam!" Daniel stood and walked over and gave her a hug. "You're looking better."

"I'm feeling better, thanks."

"Major Carter," Teal'c also stood and gave her a hug. "I am here for you. You are to let me know if there is anything you need. And I apologize that I reacted badly when you were in the infirmary".

"That's okay Teal'c," she sniffed and smiled. "No one likes to be around people when they're throwing up." She stepped back and looked at her two friends. "Thank you guys."

Everyone sat down and there was silence for a moment, no one quite sure what to say.

"Hey, why is everyone so quiet?" Jack asked as he walked out with a tray with four cups. "Here ya go Ca – Sam, your peppermint tea." He then handed mugs to the guys and sat down with his own coffee.

"No reason," Daniel answered, taking a quick cup of coffee.

"I don't think the guys know what to say," Sam said softly. "It's okay you know – you can talk about it."

Of course that immediately stopped dead any attempt at conversation. The three men simply drank their coffees while looking terribly uncomfortable. It was Sam who finally couldn't take it anymore. "Look, I'm pregnant, not dying. It really is okay to mention it guys."

"You shall make a wonderful mother Major Carter," Teal'c suddenly blurted.

"Uh, thank you."

"Hey, what about me?" Jack asked.

"You will not make a wonderful mother O'Neill," Teal'c informed him.

That caused everyone to laugh, which finally broke the tension in the room. Daniel immediately took up the conversational gauntlet.

"Hey Jack, how are you going to handle it if the baby takes after Sam. I mean, what if it's brilliant like her."

Jack pursed his lips as if in deep thought. "If it's brilliant like Carter I'll thank my lucky stars and probably brag to all the other parents about how smart my kid is."

"That's – nice Jack," Daniel said, sounding surprised.

Sam felt her throat constrict and had to work hard to keep her eyes from tearing up. She looked over at the Colonel and smiled. His lips quirked in acknowledgement of her smile, although he looked away almost immediately.

"So campers," Jack quickly interrupted the moment, feeling slightly embarrassed by what he'd said and Sam's reaction, "what does everyone want to do today? Carter, you feeling up to spending the day with these two," he pointed his thumb at the two other men.

"Definitely," she commented, suddenly feeling happy. She was with three of her best friends who all cared for her deeply – and would be there for her throughout this scary time.

"Good – so let's move it everyone!"

"But we don't know where we're going?" Daniel complained as Jack herded them all to the door.

"We'll figure it out on the way Daniel," Jack explained. He pulled his door closed behind him and grinned at his three companions. It was a great day, he suddenly decided. He was with his three closest friends and he was going to spend the day with them.

And he was going to be a father again.


	6. Hell Froze Over

She wanted to scream or maybe get down on the floor and throw a tantrum, she couldn't quite decide which. She was in her office, having been back to work the past couple of days since she'd managed to get the morning sickness somewhat under control. Oh, she still woke up feeling horrible but usually by the time she got to work she could handle it.

But what she _couldn't_ handle was the Colonel. He was driving her crazy with the "let's not talk about anything that even _encroaches_ on the emotional, personal or on the _fact that she was having his baby"_ , routine.

Oh, he was being ever so gentle, ever so kind, ever so _understanding_ – but she couldn't get him to talk about it, no matter how often she'd tried. He was always "we have lots of time Carter," or "just concentrate on taking care of yourself Carter – we can deal with things when you're feeling better," or "later Carter, I have a mission and have to go through the damned gate which you can't go through anymore because you're having my baby!"

"Aaaaargh!" she screamed, her head dropping into her hands.

"Hey, what's wrong?" his gentle voice interrupted her hissy fit and she turned around guiltily.

"Uh – hi Sir."

"Carter?" he stepped towards her, his face suddenly turning from the usual look of somewhat boyish charm to one craggy with worry. "What is it?"

"Nothing Sir," she said, trying her utmost to sound as if she didn't have a care in the world. Because really, what _was_ there to be upset about over the fact that she was carrying her commander's baby.

"Morning sickness again?" he asked, his expression evening out as he figured he knew what was bothering her.

"No," she snapped, not bothering to add on "sir" and looking away from the man who was the cause of all her frustration and staring instead at the object in front of her. What the hell _was_ the damn thing? She had no idea so she did what any self-respecting scientist would do. She picked it up, turned it over and then slammed it back down on the table.

"Uh – okay Carter." He stared at her, his eyes slightly panicked looking and made an indeterminate gesture with his hand. "If you – uh – don't need me then I'll just -" he gestured again.

"Fine Sir," she said, this time sounding listless.

"Fine," he repeated, backing out of the room slowly. "If you need me -"

"Yeah, I'll be sure and shout – Sir," she answered, a tinge of sarcasm entering her voice. It was only after he'd fled – and she refused to call it anything else but fleeing, that she muttered at the alien object. "Yup – I'll just shout, Colonel – and ask you to talk to me, but we both know _that_ won't happen because _no_ , Jack O'Neill doesn't _do_ talking. Oh, he'll save your ass, probably sacrificing his own, but he won't god-damned _talk_ to you."

"What are you muttering about Sam?"

She swiveled around in her chair so fast she almost catapulted herself across her lab. " _Daniel_! Don't scare me like that!" What was it about all these men scaring her today?

"O – kay. Sorry. Uh, what were you talking about – something about somebody's ass?"

She laughed, although the sound was choked and far from happy. "Yeah, someone's ass I want to _kick_!" she replied viciously, again picking up and slamming down the alien object."

"Uh – Sam, isn't that the artifact that Sg6 brought back from P4R 5TY?"

"Yeah," she frowned down at it and then lifted her head to stare at Daniel. "What about it?"

"I just thought that – maybe it's not such a good idea to – you know – hit it so hard."

"I wa -"

"Yes you were," he interrupted. "So whose ass do you want to kick?"

"Huh?"

"You just said you wanted to kick someone's ass. I wondered whose."

"Oh," she suddenly looked guilty. "No one – not really. I was just – you know, thinking."

"Mmm – obviously about someone that was irritating you. Who was it, or should I guess?"

" _Daniel_ ," she warned.

"What? Sam, Teal'c and I know that both of you guys are going through a hard time right now and we also know that Jack can be – well – _Jack_. Is he – is he treating you okay?"

"Jack? I mean, the Colonel?" she asked in surprise.

"Yes, Jack. He's not ignoring you or anything is he."

"No," she sighed, twirling around so that she faced Daniel directly. "No, he's been wonderful – at least he's been kind and supportive. He offered to let me stay at his place -"

"Why didn't you?"

"Because," she sighed. "I can't be that big of a burden on him. I mean, it's not like we're – or anything."

"Why aren't you?" Daniel asked gently.

"What?"

"Why aren't you – you know – together. I mean now that you _can_ be."

" _Daniel_ ," she exclaimed.

"What? Come on Sam, you know the two of you have had a thing for each other for years. Now you have the perfect excuse to get together."

" _Excuse_!" she surged to her feet. "You're telling me that our child is an _excuse_? What, do you think we did this intentionally so that we could be together? Do you think I decided to just have a baby and oh- that would solve everything?" Do you -"

"Whoa Sam," he held up his hand. "I didn't mean it that way. Of course I know you didn't do this intentionally. That's not what I meant. Look, excuse was a bad word to use. I meant that now you have a _reason_ to get together. Even though this was an accident it can lead to something good."

"No it can't," she said softly, her previous anger and energy all leaving as suddenly as they came.

"What?" Daniel looked confused. "Of course it can."

"No," she sniffed, instantly hating herself because she _never_ sniffed. "He doesn't want this Daniel. He's trying to make the best of it but he hates it."

"Who? _Jack_?"

"No, Teal'c," she said sarcastically. "Of course Jack," she glared.

"Sam, do you honestly believe that Jack hates this," he waved his hand at her.

"Of course he does. I mean, he's been nice but he won't talk to me about it. All he says is that _things will be okay Carter_ and _don't worry Carter – just look after yourself Carter._ He hates it."

Daniel sighed and slowly moved forward, keeping his eye on her to make sure she didn't suddenly decide to take her frustration out on him. "Sam," he reached and put his arm around her and pulled her close. "I hesitate to say this, because right now you are emotional _and_ you're a much better hand-to-hand fighter than me, but you're being stupid."

"What?" she pushed him away. "Why am I stupid? And I'm _not_ stupid."

"Yes, you are. Jack doesn't hate this – oh, he hates that you're feeling sick all the time, and he probably hates that you were both forced into this, but he doesn't hate having a baby with you."

"How do you know? You don't know that."

"Yes I do," he nodded and again pulled her into a hug. "I've known Jack for a lot of years and I've seen him bored, angry, sarcastic, silly, happy – every emotion he displays and I can tell you – right now he is very happy."

"He is not," she sniffed again, leaning into his shoulder. "If he were happy he'd _talk_ to me."

Daniel barked out a laugh. "Seriously? Sam, how long have _you_ known Jack? Since when does he ever talk about things that affect him emotionally? Hell would freeze over before he'd do that."

"Yeah, I guess you're right," she agreed begrudgingly.

"Of course I am! But I don't think it's just that he doesn't want to talk. Look, he _has_ been terribly worried about you and he wants to look after you. You wouldn't stay at his place – which was hard on him by the way – and so he feels a bit lost as to how to care for you. One way he's attempting to do it is to try and make this time less stressful for you. I'm pretty sure he's not consciously avoiding anything other than making you upset."

"How do you know?" she asked softly, mumbling into his shirt.

"That he's worried? Because he constantly asks Teal'c and me how you're doing and to check up on you when he can't."

"But – how do you – why do you think – is he _really_ okay with this?"

"Okay with it? Sam, I caught him whistling the other day and when I asked him why he was so happy he just looked at me and said "I'm gonna be a dad again." Sam, he's _happy_."

Of course that made her burst into tears all over Daniel. He allowed her to cry for a few more minutes, knowing that she needed this release. He finally pulled back and reached up with his thumb to wipe her cheeks. "You just need to sit on him and tell him you need to talk things over. You know he'll try and resist but he cares for you Sam. He'll come around. And for heaven's sake, don't go imagining he's unhappy, because he's _not_. I'm pretty sure he's just as unsure about things and worried as you are – he just won't show it."

"Thanks Daniel," she sniffed and rubbed her arm across her face. "I guess I'm just emotional."

"I can't imagine why," he gave her a gentle kiss on the forehead. "It's not like you have any reason to be."

She swatted him playfully but then turned around and looked at the poor, abused artifact on her desk. "I guess I'd better figure out what the heck this does."

* * *

Daniel wandered off towards his office, wanting to get back to work on some pictures of an alien text one of the teams had brought back. He was intrigued by it because it had some elements of Ancient incorporated in it, but wasn't true Ancient. Soon his mind was completely on the writings rather than on the troubles of his two friends.

That was until the man himself showed up in his office less than twenty minutes later. Of course he was so wrapped up in the drawings that he didn't notice – until he heard someone clearing his throat.

He ignored the sound, staring down intently at the most interesting –

" _Daniel_!" Jack's insistent voice broke the almost spiritual contemplation. He sighed and lifted his head.

"Jack?"

" _Finally_!"

"Finally what?" Daniel frowned in confusion.

"I've been standing here forever."

"Well why didn't you _say_ something."

Jack shrugged and stepped foot into his office. His hand immediately went for the Toreian fertility statue – which Daniel grabbed out of his reach at the last minute.

"It's fragile," Daniel said quickly. He did a scan of his table and cleared off another couple of priceless objects and put them out of the Colonel's reach. "What do you want?"

"You don't have to be so snarky," Jack replied, although he said it without much feeling, sounding distracted.

Daniel could see that his friend was twitchy – his hands desperate to grasp something and start playing with it. It was what Jack always did when he was nervous or bored. He was wandering around the table as if unable to stand or sit, the restlessness palpable in the air.

"So what is it you need Jack," Daniel finally answered, trying to make his voice sound less – snarky!

"Do I have to need something? Can't a guy just come and visit a friend and shoot the breeze, chew the fat, talk turkey, shoot the bull -"

"Of course," Daniel interrupted the litany of conversational expressions and sighed heavily. "Jack, what's wrong?"

"Nothing's -"

"Fine." Daniel turned back to the writings, deciding that he wasn't going to waste time trying to force Jack to talk. He knew that's what the man wanted – but for once he was going to make him ask. Within seconds he was again immersed in the alien writing.

He barely heard the heavy sigh or the sound of Jack sitting down across from him. Soon the tapping did begin to irritate him, but Daniel refused to give in. This time he was going to hold out against Jack's subtle but highly irritating attempts to gain Daniel's attention.

It took almost ten minutes, but then there was another sigh and a soft curse. Daniel didn't look up, but he was no longer paying attention to his work. Instead he waited for –

"It's Sam," Jack said softly as the tapping stopped.

"Sam?" Daniel lifted his head and tried everything he could to look innocent.

"Yeah." Another deep sigh and then Jack's eyes met his. "I don't think she's happy."

"Uh –" Daniel blinked. He was pretty sure he had just had an almost identical discussion less than an hour ago. "Why do you say that?"

"She doesn't _look_ happy."

"Well – she is – I mean – things are a bit strange."

"Strange?" Jack frowned.

"Yes – Jack, she's pregnant with your baby!"

"I know _that_ ," Jack answered, irritation writ large on his face.

"Well, don't you think that might have something to do with it?"

"Of course I do. That's my whole point."

"What point?"

"That she's not happy. She's pregnant with my child and she's not happy about it."

"What?" Daniel frowned, this time the one who was confused.

"Shes. Not. Happy." Jack said slowly and carefully.

"Don't be an idiot Jack," Daniel sighed, shaking his head.

"Why am I an idiot?"

"Did you and Sam ever think that maybe you should talk to _each other_?" he said in exasperation. "And I didn't mean that she's _un_ happy about being pregnant, I just meant that this is a difficult situation and she's trying to cope."

"I know," Jack ran his hands through his hair. "But I'm sure she would rather the baby wasn't mine."

"Really?" Daniel almost looked amused. "And who's else should it be."

"Huh?"

"Who do you think she would _want_ as the father?"

"What? I don't know. How should I know that?" he said, sounding peeved. "I don't know who Sam likes."

"And nor do I, but considering that she spends the vast majority of her time on base – and before that on missions, I would doubt there's anyone. And anyway, you're wrong."

"I am?" Jack looked relieved for a moment and then frowned. "About what?"

Daniel wanted to drop his head to the table and beat it against the hard wood. Instead he took a deep breath and let it out slowly. "You're wrong about her not wanting you to be the father. I'm pretty sure she wasn't expecting to get pregnant – at least not anytime soon – but now that she is, I think she's actually glad you are the father.

"Really?" Again he looked pleased, but his face soon fell again. "How do you know?"

"Jack – go and talk to her – _please_. She wants to discuss this. She wants to talk to you about it. She's scared and confused and needs your support."

"I _am_ supporting her," Jack answered indignantly. "I've gone out of my way to be kind and helpful."

"Yes – you have," Daniel nodded. "But have you sat down and talked to her about things?"

"What? No, of course not. There's lots of time to be thinking about – you know, _things_."

"No – no there isn't. Jack, you don't need to talk about – hell, about what color to paint the baby's nursery, or about what kindergarten or college it's going to go to – but you _do_ need to talk to Sam about how she's feeling and about how the two of you are going to handle things. She's confused and scared and she doesn't need that right now. Just _talk_ to her."

Jack sat and stared at one of the statues on Daniel's shelf. The fact that it was a mult-breasted fertility statue didn't seem to faze him in the slightest. After what seemed like a long time, but was probably no more than a few seconds, Jack took a deep breath and stood up.

"Thanks Daniel," he said. "I gotta go."

"Go? Where are you going?"

Jack shrugged and headed for the door. "You'd better get back to your," he waved his hands, "whatever. See ya later."

" _Jack_!" Daniel called after him, sounding and feeling thoroughly peeved. He ran to the door. "Where the hell are you going?"

"Pardon me Sir?" a scared looking Airman looked at him. "I'm just going to the Commissary Sir."

"What?" Daniel stared at him for all of five seconds. "Why the heck do I care where you're going?" On that he turned around and stomped back into his office, leaving the poor young man confused and worried that he'd pissed off one of the most influential people on base.

Jack walked with purpose down the hallway. His conversation with Daniel had helped greatly. He could always count on Daniel to clarify things for him, although he'd never admit to that lest the younger man held it over him. Which he would, of course.

Jack came to an abrupt stop when he reached his target location and pounded on the door. "Major!" he called.

Sam's head snapped up and she looked straight into the face – the very determined looking face – of her commanding officer. "Sir?"

"Come on Carter."

"Uh – where Sir?"

"Out of here. Put your little – whatever – down and come on."

"I -"

"That's an order Major," he snapped, although his eyes were smiling.

A very confused Sam nodded and put down the artifact and stood quickly. "Yes Sir." She walked – well actually she marched – to the door, suddenly feeling very put out by one Colonel Jack O'Neill.

"Here as commanded _Sir_!" she answered correctly but with no small bit of exasperation.

"Good, good," he nodded, looking thoroughly, and very irritatingly relaxed. "Come on then, let's get out of here."

"Out of here? You mean leave the SGC?"

"Yes, that's what I mean."

"But we can't – I can't. I'll be AWOL."

"No you won't," he shook his head. "I'm still your commanding officer, at least on paper, and I gave you a direct order."

She thought about that – as they got on the elevator that would take them partway to the surface – and it was true. But then – "what about you Sir? Does the General know you're leaving early?"

He stopped and looked at her – and a moment later grimaced. "Come on." He grabbed her by the wrist and pulled her into the elevator. But instead of hitting the button for the surface, he hit the command center level.

Jack – the Colonel – she had to keep telling herself that – was pulling her along with him. It took a couple of seconds, but after a slight but very irritating delay in her brain process, it hit her where they were going. "Sir?" she skidded to a halt, causing him to stop too since his hand was still around her wrist.

"What?"

"Sir – we can't – what are you going to do?"

"Something I should have done before. Come on." Less than a minute later they were standing outside of General Hammond's office. Jack wrapped on the door sharply.

"Come."

O'Neill opened the door and stuck his head in the General's office. "Sir, request to take the rest of the day off."

Hammond frowned. "Why should I give you the rest of the day off?"

At that Jack pulled Sam forward slightly so that the General could see her. "I need to talk to Major Carter Sir," he answered. "Privately."

"I see." George nodded his head. He really _did_ see. He just wished the two idiots in front of him did as well. "Okay fine. Just be in on time tomorrow."

"Thank you Sir," Jack grinned. Sam went to complain – what the heck was General Hammond giving Jack such license to take off in the middle of the day – but she didn't have a chance. At the General's words Jack had taken off down the hallway, her wrist still clutched in his hand.

"Where are we going Colonel? " she squeaked.

"I already told you Carter," he shook his head. "Out of here."

Soon they were driving through the streets of Colorado Springs, and Sam wondered what the heck had just happened and how she had managed to fall right into the middle of it.

At least she knew that it was highly unlikely that she'd have a boring child. If the baby took after Jack at _all_ then she was in for quite a ride.

"Whatcha thinkin'" Jack suddenly asked, sounding just a teensy bit worried.

"I just thought that we probably aren't going to have a boring child," she confessed. This garnered her a warm look from the man at her side.

"Never boring," he shook his head. "O'Neill's are never boring."

"No," she grinned. "They certainly aren't that!"

Jack smiled as he pulled up into his driveway, seeming to take her words as a compliment. He got out of his truck and quickly walked around it and opened her door. "Come on."

"Sir – Jack – why are we here?"

"Why?" he looked at her in surprise. "To talk, of course."

She looked at him in shock. Hell had just frozen over.


	7. Talkin' to Carter

_**Sorry everyone for the mistake in the last chapter. I had written something, which I didn't like, and so rewrote - but then forgot to delete the first piece and it got added to the chapter. I know it was confusing and I've now deleted the incorrect part. For those of you who read the first, incorrect version I suggest going back quickly to see where I really ended the chapter. Thanks!**_

Sam didn't say anything as they walked up to the front door. She was still too stunned and, if she were honest, nervous to know what to say.

Great, she snorted softly. Jack O'Neill offers to actually _talk_ and she's the one who doesn't have a clue what to say.

He ushered her in and she made her way to the living room.

"Have a seat," he told her, suddenly sounding rather nervous. Sam glanced at him, to see him standing in front of her, biting his lip. It wasn't often that she saw the Colonel looking nervous and instead of finding it helpful all it did was ratchet up her own nervousness.

"Okay," she replied. Of course she wasn't sure where to sit – she didn't want to make it look like she was avoiding being close to him, but at the same time felt uncomfortable about appearing as if she wanted him to sit next to her. After a brief inner argument she took the couch but at a point farthest away from where he was standing.

"Uh – would you like something to drink?" he asked, his hands fidgeting.

"No, that's fine Sir."

"No? Are you sure? I have – uh – beer, but no, you can't have that. I think I have milk. Hey you should have milk – I mean, you're pregnant right?"

"Yes I am," she nodded while biting her lip to keep from grinning. Suddenly she was finding this whole thing rather – endearing. "But I don't need milk Colonel. I get plenty of calcium in my diet and I don't really like it."

"Really? So, no milk? Okay, how about juice? The vitamin C will be good for you. I'll just get some juice."

"Alright fine Sir. I'll have juice."

Jack disappeared into the kitchen and Sam was pretty sure she caught his expression of relief as he escaped from the living room. She sighed and wondered what he wanted to talk about.

"I'm sorry Carter," his voice called from the kitchen. "I'm outta juice."

"That's okay Sir," she shouted back.

"How about – let's see. Right, no beer. How about some tea? I think I have tea."

"Do you have any decaf tea?" she called to him. "I'm not supposed to drink caffeine."

"Caffeine-free tea," he muttered, looking frantically through his kitchen cupboards. So far all he'd been able to find was regular Lipton's tea, English Breakfast and Earl Grey, although why he had any of those he didn't know. He rarely if ever drank tea. He checked out every package and cursed at each one. They _all_ had caffeine.

"Sorry, I don't have any tea without caffeine. Coffee?"

"Decaffeinated?" she called.

"Damn!"

"Sir, it's really okay. I'm not that thirsty."

"No, no. There has to be something here." She heard him going through his cabinets and felt like laughing. She couldn't remember ever seeing the Colonel quite so frantic before.

"How about Kool Aid?" he suddenly called.

"Kool Aid Sir?"

"Yeah – it's grape," he told her, as if that should make a difference. She didn't have the heart to tell him she didn't want any grape Kool Aid. It seemed to matter to him that she have _something_ to drink.

She wondered briefly why on earth he had what she thought of as a children's drink but then decided it did kind of go with his love of Fruit Loops. "Uh – sure, that would be – fine." She was pretty sure she hadn't had Kool Aid since she was ten, but figured it was better than having him strip his cupboards bare in the search for something else for her to drink.

A few minutes later he walked out carrying a glass of deep purple liquid. She took it gingerly from him and took a sip. She couldn't let all his work go to waste.

She practically spit it out the moment it hit her tongue. God was it sweet!

"How is it?" he asked anxiously. "I bought it for Cassie when she was younger and must have forgotten that it was there. I hope it's still good."

"It's fine," she smiled, figuring that this stuff would probably last through a nuclear holocaust. She was pretty sure there wasn't anything at all natural in it that could go bad. She spent the next few seconds trying to figure out how in hell she could get out of drinking the vile stuff. Maybe she could pour it in one of Jack's plants. She glanced around the room. "Uh – don't you have any plants Sir?"

"Plants?" he looked completely perplexed by her question.

"Yes, you know – those green things that grow in dirt? A lot of people keep them in their houses."

"I know what plants are Carter – I'm just wondering why you're asking me about them."

"Well, I didn't see any and I was just wondering where you put them."

"Put -" he sighed. "I don't _put_ them anywhere. I don't have any."

"You don't have _plants_?" she asked in surprise. "None?"

"Nope. Do _you_ see any plants lying around?"

She glanced around the room, hoping that the Colonel had forgotten one lonely little plant, off in a corner somewhere, that looked like it needed a full glass of grape Kool Aid poured out on it's soil.

She sighed deeply, after her perusal of the room was complete. "No Sir. No plants."

He beamed at her – that was the only word she could use – he beamed. "Yup – nary a single plant. You see, I kill plants. Not intentionally," he explained upon her look of shock. "They just don't like me. Within 24 hours of me getting a plant it's already plotting – no pun intended - how to escape my black thumb."

"Surely it can't be _that_ bad," she argued.

"It is," he nodded. "But why were you asking about plants?"

"No reason," she said, looking down at the drink in her hand. She could spill it? No! There was no way she was going to wreck the Colonel's couch or floor by spilling grape drink all over them. She inhaled deeply and then lifted the glass to her mouth and took the tiniest sip possible. She then leaned forward and placed the glass on the coffee table, hoping the Colonel wouldn't notice if she didn't finish the glass.

"Don't like it?" he asked, eyeing the grape drink as if it was something completely alien.

"Uh – it's a bit – sweet."

"Yeah," he sighed. "Sorry. Do you want a glass of water?"

"No," she laughed softly. "It's really okay Sir. Uh, I'm just wondering why we're here."

He stared at her blankly for a second and then shook his head. "Daniel said you wanted to talk," he finally told her bluntly.

"Daniel said _I_ wanted to talk?" She was going to kill him – Daniel, not the Colonel. Why did he have to be such a damned busybody! "He told you I wanted to talk?" she repeated. "About what?"

"Hell if I know Carter," Jack said, rubbing his hands through his hair. "I thought maybe – I know – you – I – look, I know you probably hate this but I'm trying."

"Hate what?" she frowned.

He gestured towards her stomach. "You know."

"Being _pregnant_?"

"Yeah, that." He sighed and sat back. "You hate it."

"I – no I don't."

"You don't?"

"Well – it was a shock."

"That's what Daniel said."

She nodded. "Yes, well he was right – although it pains me to admit it." They shared a look at that – both of them finding it irritating when Daniel was right about things. "It was a shock – still is – but that doesn't mean I _hate_ it. I guess – I hate the way it happened."

"Yeah," Jack looked down. "I'm sorry about that. I – know I'm not – it would have been better if it had been someone else."

"Someone else?" she looked confused. "Who?"

"I don't know Carter – you tell me."

"But – tell you what? Who?" She was thoroughly confused.

"Look," he groaned softly. "I just meant that you probably wanted it to be someone else – you know – that did _that_ with you."

She stared at him blankly for a few seconds until she finally blinked and breathed. "No."

"No?"

"No."

Suddenly Jack's expression lightened and Sam started to have an inkling of what was going on. "I don't hate the baby Sir – nor do I hate that you're – it's father. In fact if I had to have this happen – and it did happen so I guess - well – I couldn't think of anyone else I'd rather have had it happen _with_." She frowned. "Did that make sense?"

"Yes," he smiled, looking much more relaxed. "I'm glad you think that Sam. I feel the same."

"Good," she smiled back. "You're great with kids and I know you'll be a wonderful father."

His smile slowly faded and she wondered for a moment what she'd said wrong. She thought over her words and took a sharp breath when she realized. He must have been thinking of his own son who had died.

In fact Jack _wasn't_ thinking that at all. What he _was_ thinking was that Sam was glad he was the father because he would _be_ a good father, not because she wanted it to be him that had done - _that_. He knew things couldn't be what he wanted them to be.

"You know – if there's anything else you want to talk about," he told her abruptly, trying to get his mind off what felt like a rejection – which was silly but he couldn't help it, "you'll tell me right?"

"Of course." She sat looking at him for what seemed like way too long. "Uh – I'm just not sure how we're going to do this thing," she gestured between the two of them.

"How we're going to do it? Didn't we already – I mean, you wouldn't be in this condition if we hadn't – done it."

"I don't mean _that_ , Jack," she told him sharply. "I meant, what are we going to do now that I am pregnant?"

"Do?" he regarded her blankly. "I don't know. What do you want to do?" he asked, almost as if he expected her to tell him she wanted to start running a marathon or something.

"I want to know how we're going to go on, how we're going to treat one another, what decisions we're going to make about the baby, those kinds of things."

I think we just - go on like we have been, don't we?" he asked, running his hand through his already wild-looking hair. "You know I'll be here for you of course."

"Of course," she agreed, but then her forehead crinkled in confusion and then in irritation. "What does that mean?"

"What does what mean?" he frowned, clearly not having any idea what she was talking about.

"That you'll be here for me. What does it _mean_?"

"Just what it says. I'll be there for you and the baby."

She sighed in frustration. "That's great Jack – really. But I need more than that from you."

"More?" This time he was the one beginning to look frustrated. "What more do you want?"

"I mean I need more of an idea about what you're saying. Do you mean that you'll be there to support us emotionally, financially – or will you be there in person, taking part in our lives, in the life of your son or daughter? I know you don't want to talk about it, I know it makes you feel uncomfortable, but I don't know where I stand, where _we_ stand."

There was a momentary flash of panic that streaked across Jack's face, but then, almost instantly it was gone. A second later it was replaced with a look she could only describe as gentle. His face softened, the lines smoothing out and his eyes turned even darker with something she couldn't quite describe but which warmed her all the way to her toes.

"I mean I'll be there in anyway you need me to be. Of course I'll help financially, hell, it's my kid too you know. Emotionally? Well, it's not exactly my strong suit," he grinned slightly, "but I'll certainly try. As far as taking part in your lives? Sam, I lost one child already, I'm not about to lose another by ignoring its existence. Of _course_ I'll be part of its life. As for you – well, that's up to you how much you want me to be involved in your life. And the reason I haven't said anything _isn't_ because I didn't want to talk about it – yes, I know that's what everyone thinks, but it isn't true. Look, I know we have lots of details to work out still and I wasn't planning on avoiding them forever but I didn't want to pressure you right now, not when you're still dealing with all the changes – and feeling like you want to throw up most of the time. But Sam, I'm happy to talk about anything you need me to talk about at any time."

"Really?" she said, feeling terribly touched. She wished she could go over and give him a big hug, but unfortunately they weren't at that point – at least not yet.

"Really," he nodded.

So of course that was a complete conversation stopper. Here he was, offering to talk about anything and she didn't have a clue what to say. Suddenly all those big issues faded away. Yes, they had time. Not a lot of it, but enough to not panic right now. For now she needed to relax and not get all worried about everything.

"So, what college do you think our child should go to?" she asked suddenly.

After a few seconds he grinned. "If it's anything like you it'll have to be Harvard or Stanford – or probably MIT. If it takes after me – well we might be considering something more basic."

She snorted. "Right Sir! I know you did well in college so don't try that one on me."

" _How_ do you know that Sam?"' he asked, his eyes narrowing suspiciously.

"I may have – uh – looked up some things about you when I was transferred here."

"You could look up my record in the Air Force but I doubt if they have a copy of my college transcripts."

"Oh," she grinned, "you have to know where to look."

He rolled his eyes. "Shame on you Samantha Carter. And don't you dare tell Daniel. My cover'll be blown."

"I'm pretty sure he knows already."

"Really?" he said, frowning. "How does he know?"

She shrugged, although she wouldn't meet his eyes.

He sighed but then smiled softly. "So – anything else other than colleges you want to talk about?"

She took a deep breath and looked directly at him. "Just – I want us to – feel comfortable around each other. I want to be able to talk to you about this and have you talk to me. I think we need to be open and honest with one another if we're going to make this work. Other than that – you're right, we don't need to worry about details right now – but soon, okay?"

He nodded and walked over to her and took her hands. "Sam, you know that it's not always easy for me to open up about things, but I want you to know that you can talk to me about anything and I promise to be honest with you. And I _do_ mean it when I say I'm here for you in whatever way you need."

She gave him a wobbly smile and then spoke. "I think – right now what I really need is a hug."

His eyes flickered briefly over her face and then his lips turned up in a sweet smile. The next moment found her enveloped in the strong and safe arms of Jack O'Neill.

Maybe she should thank Daniel after all.


	8. Bugs

_**Just got back from my vacation! I was out of the country with really spotty WiFi so couldn't upload any chapters. Now that I'm back I'll try and be more regular with my updates.**_

"Hey Sam, how are you doing?" Daniel knocked softly on her door, watching her as she bent over her table, fiddling with some ultra-fascinating alien object.

Daniel and the rest of Sg1 had been gone for over a week and had just returned. He was here on Jack's orders to check up on Sam. He'd made it a habit to look in on her every time they returned from an off-world mission and as soon as he'd made it through medical. This time, however, Jack couldn't make it, so he was here as his deputy.

Daniel would rather have been anywhere else at that moment, but he'd promised Jack and he knew the Colonel would shoot him if he didn't come by.

"Daniel!" Sam looked up and smiled, but that quickly changed to a frown. "Wait a second, you're not supposed to be back until tomorrow. What's going on?" A second later she stood up and looked around Daniel. "And where's J – the Colonel?" Her frown began to deepen and she suddenly looked worried. "Daniel, where is he? What's happened?"

"Nothing – nothing, really, or at least nothing too serious. Jack's okay – sort of – I mean, he's fine – he'll _be_ fine in a couple of days."

" _Daniel_! What the hell happened?"

"Uh – Jack sort of had a bit of – well, not an accident, but he's a little under the weather."

" _What_?"

"It's nothing, really. Look, he asked me to come and make sure you're okay and to tell you he's fine and he'll see you in a couple of days."

"A couple of _days_? Daniel, if you don't tell me _right now_ what's going on, I'm going to shoot you! Now _spill_!"

Daniel sighed. He knew this was going to be like this. "It was bugs."

"It was what?"

"Bugs."

"Bugs?"

"Yeah – big bugs, really, really _big_ bugs."

"What was bugs?"

"On P9K 22Y there were these big – bugs."

"What about them?" she asked, starting to get very irritated.

"Well, they stung – or bit, I'm not quite sure what."

"And?"

"And they really liked Jack."

"Are you telling me he got stung by a bug?"

"By lots of bugs actually. I told you, they really liked him."

"God – is he okay?" She started to head to the door, but Daniel stepped in her way and held out his hand.

"He's fine. Or he will be fine in a little while. Look, he's in the Infirmary but that's just because Janet is giving him something for the – uh – itching. She doesn't think it's serious though."

"She doesn't _think_? You mean it could be?"

"No, no, I'm sure it's not. Probably just like a really bad bee sting."

"Bee stings can kill."

"Only if you're allergic – although Janet did say that Jack was probably all – no, he's fine," he suddenly realized who he was talking to.

"I'm going to see him."

"No Sam," he reached out and again grabbed her arm. "He told me to tell you he's fine and that you don't need to worry about him. He – uh – doesn't want you to worry."

"Well until I see him I _will_ worry, so let me go."

"Sam, please. Jack doesn't want to see you."

"What?" she swung around and stared at him. A moment later her eyes began to sparkle with hurt.

"Ah crap!" Daniel muttered. "That's not what I meant. It's not that he doesn't want to see you it's that -"

"What Daniel?" she said softly, her voice almost breaking.

"It's that he doesn't want you to see _him_."

"He doesn't – but why not?"

"Well, he's a bit – swollen – from the bug bites."

"Oh my God – it was that serious a reaction?"

"Well, he did get stung – bitten – quite a few times."

"How many?" she asked ominously.

"Janet thinks – maybe two, three hundred."

"Three _hundred_? Stings?"

"Yeah. They kind of swarmed around him and attacked."

"Just him?"

"You see, we found evidence that the planet had been home to some Ancient's many millennia ago. Although there are no longer any inhabitants there were a number of buildings and I found a couple of texts written on a pillar."

"Okay – so there were Ancients," she said impatiently, still trying to walk around Daniel and head to the Infirmary. "So what?"

"I think the insects may retain some genetic memory."

"And?"

"And they like the taste of Ancients."

"So you're telling me that because Jack – the Colonel – has the Ancient gene the bugs attacked him?"

"Yeah. I mean, there's no way to no for sure, but they didn't go after anyone else." He thought for a moment. "It also could have been his aftershave."

"Christ Daniel! Will you please let me go," she demanded. "I'm going to see him."

"He'll be mad Sam. He really doesn't want you to see him right now."

"It can't be that bad."

He grimaced slightly. "Well – it's _kind_ of bad."

"Out of my way," she demanded as she pushed past him. " _Men_!" Sam stomped down the hallway, ticked at Jack for thinking she cared how he looked and furious at Daniel for – well, right now for being Daniel.

Daniel followed her down the hallway, knowing that Jack was going to kill him for not handling this better, although how in hell he was supposed to stop Samantha Carter when she was on a mission, he didn't know. When it came to either of them being hurt or sick, the other would always be there. For him to have expected her to wait to see him until he looked better was, frankly, ridiculous.

"Sam," he called. She turned around and glared at him and he could almost feel the death rays from her eyes hitting him square on the forehead.

" _What_?"

"Just – please tell him I tried to stop you?"

She closed her eyes briefly and then nodded, but was immediately hurrying once more. "He will be okay though, right?" she asked suddenly.

"Mmm hmm," he nodded. "Janet has him on a bunch of stuff and I think it was already helping. She didn't think the bugs were poisonous – just that there were so many that his system overloaded."

"Damn! It must have been painful."

Daniel didn't say anything, knowing that Jack would hate for Sam to know quite _how_ painful it had been. It had been one of the few times Daniel had ever seen the Colonel less than tough. In fact, when the bugs had first attacked Jack had let out a scream that had just about scared the crap right out of him. Even Teal'c had been bothered to see Jack writhing in pain. Getting back to the SGC had been horrible. It had taken them over four hours with Jack in agony the entire way. To make matters worse, the bites had also begun to itch about two hours from the gate.

Fortunately for him he finally passed out a couple of miles from the stargate and Teal'c had carried him the rest of the way. By the time they arrived his breathing had gotten bad and they were both relieved to give the unconscious man over to Dr. Frasier.

It hadn't taken long for Janet to give him something, which had helped his breathing. A few minutes later he'd regained consciousness and it was then that he'd instructed Daniel – with some difficulty because of the swelling - to go and tell Sam, who would soon hear they'd returned. He'd gone – dreading it – leaving Teal'c to watch over the Colonel.

"Janet has him on pain-killers," he finally said. "Uh Sam?"

"What," she sighed, almost to the Infirmary. "What Daniel?"

"You'd better – prepare yourself."

"Why?" she asked, stopping suddenly. "What aren't you telling me?" She was starting to panic again and looked at her friend and colleague with huge, worry-filled eyes.

"Just – he looks kind of bad. It's the swelling."

"You told me that already."

"I know but – he looks _really_ bad."

"It's not permanent is it?"

"Oh no. Janet says it will be gone in a couple of days."

"Then I don't care." They'd arrived by this time in the Infirmary and Sam glanced around, trying to find out which room the Colonel was in. She finally honed on a door that was partially opened and headed there, firm intent in her walk.

She slowly pushed the door open the rest of the way and looked over at the man in the bed.

Or what she was pretty sure was a man. "Oh my God!' she gasped as she looked the body lying there, hooked up to IV's, wires and an oxygen mask. Based on Daniel's words this must be the Colonel. She blinked and all she could think was that it was worse than she could possibly have imagined.

The Colonel looked like some kind of horror movie extra or maybe an alien from a 1950's B movie. His face was so swollen that his lips were turned inside out and looked like some kind of weird fish inside the mask. His eyes – well, they weren't actually visible as the eyelids were so swollen she doubt if he could open them. And then there was the rest of his face. God – he looked like someone had inflated his face like a balloon. It was – bizarre, to say the least.

Sam couldn't help but stand frozen, staring at the normally handsome man who had turned into – this – because of alien bugs. As much as Daniel had tried to downplay how bad it was, she knew instantly that it had been serious and that he could have died. She was thankful they'd gotten him back in time. It was only then that she noticed Teal'c, who was sitting quietly in the corner.

"Major Carter," he said softly. "O'Neill has been resting but he is doing better."

"Teal'c! I just – I came by to see him. Uh, Daniel told me what happened." If she had been less upset she would have laughed at the glare that Teal'c gave the archaeologist. She glanced back at Daniel, who was looking rather sheepish.

"Hey, _you_ try and keep her from coming to see him when he's injured," Daniel defended himself. After a moment Teal'c gave a single nod of his head, seeming to acknowledge the impossibility of such an action.

Sam turned back to regard the Colonel more fully. His arms were swollen as well as his face and were covered in red welts as were his shoulders and neck and the top of his chest. The rest of him was covered with a sheet and she prayed that his clothes had given him some protection.

"Oh, poor Jack," she finally whispered. She was startled to see the Colonel's head move, his face turning stiffly towards the door. God, she realized, he was awake. "Sir?" she asked tentatively. His head moved again, but he didn't speak. She was pretty sure he found it almost impossible with the swelling and the mask. She moved up to the bed and leaned over slightly. "It's Carter," she said softly. "I came to see how you're doing."

His head began to move restlessly and she could see the heart monitor speed up. Barely a few seconds went by before the door burst open to Janet and one of her nurses.

"Sam? What are you doing here?" Janet frowned, although she relaxed slightly upon seeing the Major.

"I came to see Colonel O'Neill," she said, still staring down at him, worried at how agitated he was. "He's – he seems to be upset."

Janet quickly stepped up to the bed and took a look at the clearly frantic man. "Sir – calm down!" She motioned with her head to the nurse, who immediately injected the contents of a syringe into his IV port. "You need to relax Colonel – everything is fine."

A few seconds later he started to calm down – whether because of whatever the nurse had given him or because of Janet's soothing words Sam couldn't tell. Once he was still – although she could see the tension in his hands so knew he wasn't sleeping, she stepped up to the bed once more.

"I told you," Daniel whispered. "He's mad that I didn't keep you away."

She nodded, although she wasn't really paying attention. Instead she was looking down at the man in the bed, feeling terrible to see him in such a state – at the same time feeling mightily pissed that he'd attempt to hide this from her. "Jack – did you honestly think I'd stay away?" she asked softly. "I don't care that your face is a bit swollen," she glared at Daniel when he choked at that. "I'm just glad you're okay. And you know that you'd be here with me if the situation was reversed."

They could all see the sigh that Jack let out at that and Sam smiled, knowing he was acknowledging the truth of her words. "And you also know that there was no way that Daniel was going to keep me away, even though he did try, so don't be mad at him, okay?"

After a few second pause Jack nodded his head, although it was so swollen even that was hard for him. Sam wanted to reach out and take his hand, but it too was swollen and painful looking.

"Are you in pain?" she asked quietly.

He shook his head no and lifted his arm with the IV.

"Janet has you on the good stuff, does she?" Sam smiled. She could hear Jack huff and saw him nod. "That's good. Are you tired? Do you want to sleep?"

He shook his head no again, although she suspected he'd fall asleep quickly once everyone left.

"Would you like me to stay with you?" she then asked. She waited a few seconds for a reaction, and finally saw a small nod. She glanced over at Janet, who grinned and gave her a thumbs up.

"Okay Sir – I'm going to leave you be for now," the doctor said. "We have you on medication that's countering the effects of the insect venom and it will also help keep the itching down although it's going to make you a bit drowsy. I expect by tomorrow you'll feel much better." She turned her face towards Daniel and motioned with her head for him to leave. He opened his mouth to argue, but at her glare he rolled his eyes and then finally agreed.

"I guess I'll head out too Jack. Teal'c, you coming?"

"I shall. O'Neill, I will leave you in the care of Dr. Frasier and Major Carter. Be well my brother."

Jack lifted his hand a few inches off the mattress and gave a small wave. Even that seemed to take more energy than he had and he allowed his hand to flop back to the mattress. He moved his head until he was facing Sam, even though his eyes were still shut.

"I'm here Sir," she said, pulling up a chair beside his bed. "Why don't you just rest and let the medicine work. I'll stay with you as long as you want."

His hand moved slightly on the bed and she stared at it until she realized what he wanted. She tentatively put her hand next to his and he moved until it covered hers. She left it there – not wanting to hurt him – but recognizing he needed the touch and the comfort.

"I'm right here Jack – just go to sleep." A moment later she could tell, from his breathing and the heart monitor, that he was asleep. She smiled and kept watch over him.

* * *

"It was not a few minutes, Daniel Jackson," Teal'c said sharply, as they continued the conversation they'd started outside the Infirmary. "We waited over an hour and a half for you to meet us. If you had been on time the insect swarm would not have attacked him."

"Hey, you don't know that!" Daniel objected.

"I do indeed know that. The swarm only appeared immediately after you returned. If we had left when we were supposed to, O'Neill would not have been attacked."

"So you're blaming me?"

"I am simply stating that your lack of consideration caused a situation that did not have to happen," Teal'c informed him.

"So, you're saying it was my fault?"

"I believe the expression is, if the footwear fits - ."

"That's if the _shoe_ fits – and it doesn't! I wasn't _that_ late," he defended himself.

"You were. O'Neill timed you on his watch. I believed you would only be a few minutes tardy but he indicated he expected at least an hour. You were ninety-three minutes late."

"Geesh – you'd think I'd committed a major sin."

"Not a sin, but a lack of consideration which caused O'Neill to be hurt."

"But it wasn't like he was bleeding to death or something."

Teal'c shook his head, his expression fierce – or at least fiercer than usual. "Those _bug bites_ caused significant agony and O'Neill was having trouble breathing by the time we returned home.

Daniel instantly felt guilty. "I know Teal'c, and I really do feel badly. I didn't _mean_ to be late. I just – you know – got distracted. I'll go apologize."

"Yes, I believe you should, but not now. Wait until O'Neill is feeling better."

Daniel nodded, suddenly feeling horrible. Teal'c was right. He _had been_ selfish. And the worst thing was, he knew it was not an isolated incident. When he got involved in something interesting he tended to lose track of time. But on _this_ occasion he should definitely have been more conscious of what he was doing. Jack _had_ been hurt and was miserable.

"Well, at least Sam is with him. I knew she wouldn't listen to me and stay away."

"I knew this as well and am also glad she is with O'Neill. She will help him recover."

Daniel sighed. "When are the two of them going to realize that they should be together," Daniel asked.

"I do not know," their Jaffa friend said. "They are both very stubborn individuals and find it hard to discuss their feelings."

"Yeah – they need a good knock in the head!"

"I concur. Or maybe we should consider locking them in a room together."

"Do you think that would work?" Daniel asked skeptically.

"If we ensured they did not have clothes," Teal'c replied seriously.

"Not have – you mean _naked_?" Daniel laughed. "Oh yeah, that would do it – although Jack would kill us both if we tried anything like that."

"He might, although if it helped resolve things between Major Carter and him he might be less angry."

"True." Daniel contemplated the thought for a few minutes but then took a deep breath and shrugged. "I don't think it's feasible. We'll have to come up with something else."

Teal'c agreed but after a moment began to look thoughtful. "We must contact Thor. I believe he may be able to help in this situation."

Daniel grinned and followed Teal'c into the Commissary. "Okay – but you're taking the blame – unless it works and then I'll share the credit." He walked up to the counter and looked at the desserts displayed in the case. "Pie Teal'c?"

"Indeed."

The two men both had pie, planning how to – once and for all – get Sam and Jack together.

* * *

"Jack?"

"Mmm?" he murmured. He wasn't aware that the voice was real but rather seemed to be part of the dream world he was floating in right now. He allowed it to wash over him and he relaxed even more.

"Are you awake Jack?"

"No," he sighed.

He heard a soft giggle – which immediately had him opening his eyes. He blinked blearily, his vision still rather wonky. "Sam?"

"Hi," she stepped into his line of vision and smiled down at him. "You're looking a lot better. How are you feeling?"

He simply stared at her – not having a clue how he felt physically and not really caring. Having Sam here made him feel great – regardless of how he was feeling.

"Nah bah," he slurred. He frowned at the strange words coming from his mouth and lifted his had to his lips. What he found caused him to stop breathing for a second. Finally he let out a deep breath. "Wha happ'd?"

"Don't you remember? You got stung by a bunch of alien bugs. I'm afraid you swelled up quite a bit, although it's gone down a lot. Janet says you'll be fine in a few days."

"Deh's?" he tried to grimace but it was almost impossible. His face felt like the skin was stretched so tightly it would snap with the slightest movement.

"Yeah, sorry," she gave a sympathetic smile. "But at least you can talk and see now. Are you in any pain?"

"Uh – no," he shook his head and lifted his arm with the IV still in it. "Ja'ets goo tuff?"

"Yeah," she laughed. "You remembered?"

He nodded and tried to smile but discovered that also was a near impossibility.

"Hah lon?"

"How long have you been here?"

He nodded, amazed that she seemed to be able to understand him. God –he suddenly realized he was dying of thirst but wondered if he could actually drink. His lips were so swollen and misshapen he didn't know if he could even manage to swallow.

"You've been here since about 9:00 this morning. It's almost 7:00. Are you thirsty?"

He nodded and watched as she poured a cup of water. "I'm going to put your bed up a bit and then I'll help you, okay? It might be a bit tricky since your hands are still swollen.

He hadn't realized that anything but his face had been affected but at her words he looked down – and the two blobs with huge sausages on the end. God – those were his _hands_? It must have been bad.

"Dah'l? Tee'c?"

"They're fine. They've been by a few times to see you but you've been sleeping most of the day. I'm sure they'll be in once more before night-time. You were the only one that got stung."

He rolled his eyes. "Uh cose.

She laughed softly, and helped him to take some sips. It was a messy business as as much water got on his chest as in his mouth, but in the end he had enough and motioned for her to put the cup down. After she'd done that she put her hand gently on top of his. "Don't worry – you'll be fine. Janet said you can leave tomorrow morning if you're up to it – and if someone stays with you to make sure you don't have any further reaction."

"You?" he asked carefully, his eyes laser-focused on her face.

"Of course I'll look after you Jack," she said quietly. "You looked after me when I needed it so now I can return the favor."

His eyes suddenly crinkled up at the corner causing her to look at him suspiciously, although with a definite twinkle in her eyes. "You didn't plan this deliberately did you?" she asked, "just to get me back over to your place?"

He tried looking innocent, although it was hard when he still looked like a movie extra, but she could tell that under the swelling was a definite grin. She smiled at him and shook her head. "You're evil Colonel – do you know that?" she told him, although she knew that he hadn't actually planned this at all.

He shook his head. "Lu- cky," he told her, this time pretty clearly. Immediately after that his eyes drifted closed and she could tell he was getting sleepy again.

"I don't know about that Sir," she said softly. "You haven't tasted my cooking!" She saw his lips turn up slightly but a moment later his breathing evened out and he was asleep.

She continued to smile, thinking of the days ahead. She knew a recuperating Jack could be challenging, but still, the opportunity to be back with him was too good to miss.

"Whatcha smiling about Sam?" Daniel's voice broke her out of her daydream and she turned to see her other two favorite men standing in the doorway.

"Nothing," she answered. "Just glad the Colonel is okay."

"Mmm – yeah, although he's going to be a pain in the ass for the next few days."

The three of them contemplated a still-sleeping Jack, thinking about the days to come. Only Sam continued to smile.


	9. An Evening In

_**In case anyone is still following this .. finally here's a new chapter! Life has been crazy with a move across the country, starting a busy new job and trying to buy a house. My brain has also suffered some SG1 fatigue and my mojo fled. The last few nights (while sick at home with flu) I started to reread some old SG1 fics and started to feel the muse return. So - here is another chapter. I'll also be working on my other one and trying to finish it. So here's hoping you enjoy .. again, if you're still reading! Thanks. Vini**_

Jack was allowed to go home the next day, which pleased him immensely. What _didn't_ please him was having to be wheeled out, down the long corridors of the SGC.

He still looked like something out of a horror movie – no matter how often Sam told him the swelling had gone way down – and he was dreading the looks and teasing he'd get.

He knew his comrades. They'd just _love_ the chance to harass him and torment him about his swollen face. They would never do it he was in real danger, of course, of even if it had been a permanent disability. They were good guys – but now that he was on the mend – hell, he didn't want to even think about it.

"Sam, thank God! Help me get this pillow case off!" He was sitting on the side of the bed wearing loose scrubs, as he was still too sore to wear his own clothes. He was struggling with his pillow and so far, it seemed to defeat him.

Sam gently took the pillow from him, removed the case, and handed it to him. "Can I ask why you need the pillow case Sir?"

His answer was to put it over his head. A muffled voice sounded from underneath. "There. If you just get me my boots we can go."

"Uh - ?", she laughed. "Colonel, why are you wearing a pillow case?"

"Because if Ferretti or Griff or Dixon or any of the guys see me I'll never live it down. I wouldn't be surprised if they're waiting in the hallway with a camera!"

"And you think that it'll be better seeing you with a pillow case over your head?"

There was a short pause. "Yes," he answered. "I can deny it was me."

She laughed out loud at that, surprising Janet who walked in at just that moment.

"What are you laughing - _Sir?"_ Janet had obviously caught sight of the Colonel. "No, don't tell me – you're hiding from the guys."

"Right," the soft voice responded as the white linen covered head nodded. "You get it Janet, right?"

The good doctor rolled her eyes at her friend, who was trying hard not to laugh again. "Yes, I get it Colonel, although I don't know if this is much better."

"That's what I was trying to tell him," Sam answered with a grin. "I could just make sure the hallway is clear Sir."

There was silence, as if the Colonel was thinking about this, but then the pillow case made a motion, obviously a negative shake of the head. "Nope. They'll have it all figured out. I wouldn't be surprised if they have Security involved and plan to get the tapes from the cameras."

"The General wouldn't let them do that Sir," Sam told him.

"You don't _know_ these guys Sam, not like I do. Nope, the pillow case stays on."

In the end Jack was convinced to wear one of Teal'c's big hats with a scarf pulled up over the bottom of his face. He still looked strange – like some kind of 1940's gangster – but Sam told him it looked better than the pillowcase.

A few people did come by to see him and Sam was pretty sure that some of them were disappointed not to be able to really _see_ him. She also caught Louis Ferretti trying to sneak a picture.

She shook her head at him, from behind the Colonel's wheelchair, and frowned, silently promising extreme retribution if he followed through. Everyone in the SGC knew that if you _really_ riled Major Carter you could be in for some _very_ creative payback. She also had Teal'c on her side – a person (or Jaffa) never to make angry.

So, with a sigh, Louis took his hand out of his pocket, sans camera. "Just wanted to check and make sure you were okay Jack. It sounded pretty painful."

"Piss off Ferretti," Jack mumbled through the heavy wool of the scarf. "And if you so much as _think_ of telling people about this, or taking pictures, you will be very, very sorry."

" _Jack_! How could you think that my motives are so bad? I'm just seeing a friend who was hurt – nothing else."

Jack snorted. "Let's get out of here Carter, before any of my other friends decide to come and take a peek."

"Take it easy Jack," Ferretti called after him. "And if you decide on a change of career, I've heard that Universal Studios is hiring some extras for their new Zombie movie."

"Go F …. ..urself, Ferr -" Could be heard faintly as the elevator closed on the Colonel and Sam.

"We're almost there Sir. How are you doing?"

Jack had been dozing quietly, his head resting against the passenger window. Janet still had him on some pain killers and antihistamine medicine that made him feel foggy and drowsy. "Hmm?" He turned his head slowly to look at her.

"Just wondered how you were feeling Sir," she gave him a quick smile and then turned her eyes back to the road.

"Like a sleepy sardine Major," he said, sounding grumpy. "Why don't you get a _real_ car?"

"This _is_ a real car Sir. In fact, it's a classic."

"A classic is just another word for a junker. I mean – it doesn't even have room for my legs!"

"Well, you're tall."

"And so are you – and so are a lot of people and this car wouldn't work for _any_ of them!"

"Well I like it," she said. "My father let me save up and buy myself a car when I turned sixteen -"

"And don't tell me," he rolled his eyes, "this was that car?"

"No," she laughed. "But it was a similar model. _And_ I grew to love it. So when I moved out here to Colorado Springs and I saw that this was for sale, I knew it was an omen."

"Of what? Knee surgery!"

She laughed again. "Look, we'll be at your house in just two minutes and then you can stretch those gorgeous legs of yours!"

The silence that followed this was profound – profound and charged and very, very embarrassing. Sam closed her eyes – briefly as she was still driving – and cursed herself.

"Uh – I'm sorry – I -"

"Hey, don't apologize," he grinned. "No middle aged man is gonna get upset at being told _any_ part of him is gorgeous!"

She let out a small laugh and turned and glanced at him. "Yes, well, there are _lots_ of parts of you that are gorgeous – Sir," She refused to look at him. God, what had gotten in to her?

Jack was actually feeling embarrassed. It wasn't often – hell, it was _never_ that his 2IC said something like that. And of course he immediately thought back to the time, not so long ago, when Sam had seen all those – according to her – gorgeous parts.

Damn it! Now he was beginning to feel all hot and bothered. And he closed his eyes and sent a prayer that the science department would screw up and send the orb to his house by mistake – and not to Area 51. He really, really wanted to experience that whole thing again and a little help from the orb wouldn't go amiss.

"I'm sorry," she said softly, as she turned into his driveway. "I don't know why I said that."

"Hey, don't worry about it," he answered quietly, pretending that he wasn't thinking about the orb and what they had done on that planet. "I'm flattered and -" ah hell, just do it O'Neill! "And I think the same about you!"

It took her a second to understand what he'd just said – and she cursed at feeling herself blush. This was ridiculous. "Uh – thanks," she said. "Do you need help getting inside?"

He sighed. "I don't think so. I just hope I still fit through the door."

"You're not that swollen Sir," she said, giggling slightly. "And Janet says in another day or so you'll be back to normal."

"Mmm – except I'll look like a scaly fish. God, I hate bugs."

"I don't blame you. It must have been awful."

"It was – rather creepy."

The two of them made their way to Jack's front door. He was still stiff and sore, and dopey as hell, so they walked slowly. By the time he'd unlocked and opened the front door he was yawning, ready to go back to bed.

"Why don't you go and lie down Colonel. Do you want something to drink?"

"No," he answered, trying to blink his tiredness away. "I'm fine."

"You sure? I could fix you some Kool Aid – it's grape!" she said with a snigger.

He rolled his eyes. "Are you laughing at me Carter?"

"Yes Sir," she told him formally.

He laughed at that and headed towards his living room. "I'll have you know I stocked up on juice and iced tea and lots of good stuff so you don't have to drink any Kool Aid."

"Thank God," she said in relief. "I thought I was going to get an instant case of diabetes. How could Cassie drink that stuff?"

"She didn't." he grinned, "She said it was awful too - although come to think of it, Daniel liked it just fine."

"You gave it to him?"

"Mmm hmm – he was explaining something about Babylonian laws or something and I handed him a glass of Kool Aid. He drank it down – I don't think he even noticed what it was and I must say his mustache was quite - purple."

She continued to giggle as she followed the Colonel down the stair into his main room. She watched as he lay down with a sigh and closed his eyes. A moment later he was asleep.

Sam decided to indulge herself by sitting and just watching him sleep. It wasn't often that she got the opportunity to look at the Colonel like this.

His face was still rather swollen, and his skin was starting to peel after having been put through so much. But even so, he was a handsome man and she couldn't help but remember that brief but intense time in that alien temple.

She knew she shouldn't be thinking about it since it did no good, but hell, how could a woman _not_ think of that. It had been amazing, like nothing she'd ever experienced.

A sudden thought occurred to her and she frowned. She wondered if the experience had been heightened because of the alien technology, or whether it had been because of being with the Colonel. She'd been in love with him for a long time and had often fantasized about what he'd be like as a lover.

So sue me, she thought defiantly, when her conscience told her she shouldn't be thinking such things about her commanding officer. It wasn't like she'd _jumped_ him for God's sake … wait, she _had_ jumped him.

Oh God! What the hell was she doing? Sam suddenly stood up, feeling flustered and guilty. She had to get out of here and get back to the SGC. She shouldn't be putting herself in these –

"Hey, what's wrong?" The Colonel's soft voice startled her, and she looked over to see him regarding her out of half-lidded eyes. "Your thinking woke me up," he complained.

"I'm sorry," she answered, flustered, although a second later she frowned. "How could I have woken you up by _thinking_ Sir?" she asked.

"Your thinking is really loud Sam," he answered, his eyes opening fully. He sat up and swung his legs back over the side of the couch. "Sorry for falling asleep on you there. Janet still has me on these damn antihistamines and they make me drowsy."

"That's okay," she answered, glancing down at her watch. "Holy Hannah! It's almost 4 o'clock."

"That's bad?"

"Uh – I didn't realize I'd been here so long. I must have dozed off too."

"That's good," he nodded. "You need your rest. I always thought you went too hard Sam and now with junior you have to look after yourself."

"Junior, Sir?" her eyebrows went up.

"Sorry," he grinned. "I guess that's not the best thing to call him – it. Uh – baby Sam?"

"I'm not naming the baby after me," she told him definitively. "How about baby – uh, maybe not," she suddenly choked.

"If you were going to say "Jack" you're probably right it's not a good idea," he grimaced. "It would kind of give things away."

"Yeah," she nodded, but then a moment later lifted her head and looked directly at O'Neill. "What _are_ we going to say Sir? I'm going to be showing soon and people will be curious."

"And probably imagining the worst," he agreed, running his hands through his hair and leaving a chaotic mop on his head.

"Uh – I kind of think this _is_ the worst." She stared at her hands for a moment but then looked up, only to catch the last second of what looked like dismay on Jack's face. It took her a second to realize what had happened. "Oh God – I don't mean in _that_ way Sir," she told him. "I just meant that they're going to be imagining that we had an affair or something – and we kind of did. I didn't mean at _all_ that I thought this was the worst because of – you know. Only that they'd be right." She frowned and then shook her head. "O hell, please tell me you know what I'm trying to say?"

By this time the Colonel's face had cleared and a grin had started. "Yes Carter – I get it." After a second the grin left and he again looked serious. "I'm not hiding the fact that the kid is mine," he said, sounding slightly belligerent or as if he thought she would argue.

"I wouldn't want you to," she agreed. "This baby will need its father and I couldn't think of a better one. But that still leaves us with what to do. Did you want to tell people immediately that the baby is yours?"

"I – think so," he sighed, again running his hand through his hair. "I think it will be better that way – get it over with, otherwise they'll be a lot of wild speculation. I guess we'll just have to bite the bullet and tell everyone sooner rather than later."

"How about just telling Walter," Sam said suddenly.

"Walter? Why just him?"

"Because he knows everything that happens in the SGC and is always a source of news about what's going on. Don't tell me he hasn't given you some of the latest gossip?"

"I wouldn't call it _gossip_ ," Jack defended. "It's more about keeping an eye on what's going on."

"Gossip Sir, pure gossip and you know it!"

"Okay fine – but what does that have to do with telling him?"

"Don't' you see? He's the source of all sorts of information and he can let people know about the pregnancy, and how it happened and we don't have to say a thing. _And_ he'll make sure that everyone gets the story right. You know how much he respects you."

"And he's a little bit in love with you," Jack said, his face puckered in thought, looking as if he wasn't paying too much attention to the conversation.

"What? No he isn't," Sam squeaked.

"Huh?" Jack lowered his head and looked at her. "What?"

"Walter – he isn't."

"Isn't _what_?" Jack frowned, confused.

"In love with me."

"Oh," Jack's face cleared. "Of course he is. _All_ the men are – at least all of the men that aren't gay. Those guys are in love with Daniel."

" _Jack!"_ she screeched. "That's not true."

"Of course it is Carter," he sighed. "Daniel's a good-looking guy so it's no wonder he's got admirers, from both sexes."

"I don't mean Daniel, Sir," she said, rubbing her hands through her hair. "I mean Walter is _not_ in love with me. He's – he's -"

"He's what?" Jack's eyebrows went up and he looked expectantly at his former 2IC. "I don't think he's gay."

"No, he's not."

"Then he's in love with you. Sam, _all_ the guys are. You're – uh – you're an attractive woman."

She stared at him for a moment and knew that she must be turning pink from embarrassment. "There are lots of attractive women at the SGC Sir," she pointed out.

"Yeah, but none quite so -"

"Quite so - ?" she couldn't help but ask.

"Spectacular," he grinned. "Carter, you're brilliant _and_ beautiful – and you can seriously kick ass. What's not to love?"

"How about you?" she asked softly

"Me?" he looked surprised.

"Well, you did say "all" the men – at least all the straight ones."

This time it was the Colonel who could feel himself turn red. He'd walked right into that one! "Uh – well – Carter, you know -"

"It's okay Sir," she laughed suddenly, enjoying the rare moment of having "got" the Colonel. "That was mean of mean. And anyway, I still think you're wrong. I know for a fact that Captain O'Rourke is in love with Janet."

"Really?" he answered, sounding way more interested than he actually was. But it was a relief to move away from the subject of love and Carter. He still felt rather – warm – from having almost stuck his foot in his mouth. "How do you know?"

"By the number of times he's _hurt_ himself lately," she answered, making air quotes around the word hurt. "He seems to need to go to the Infirmary every day. I've also seen him staring at her when he didn't think she'd notice."

"Hmm – O'Rourke eh? He's a good guy. I hope he gets the courage up to ask her out. Janet needs someone."

"You think so?"

"Sure Carter. Hell, everyone needs someone." Again his tongue seemed to move without his mind kicking into gear and he wanted to groan. Instead he slapped his thighs and quickly sat up. "I'm hungry. What about you?"

"Uh – I guess," she frowned. "But I should be going."

"Why?" he asked in surprise.

"I – well, I've been here a long time and -".

"And? So what? Do you have anywhere you need to be?"

"I guess not."

"Then stay. I'll order pizza – or Chinese if you'd prefer. We can even watch a movie. Come on Sam," he begged when it looked as if she'd argue. "You're not going to leave me here alone, all by myself are you? You wouldn't be so cruel."

She laughed. "I guess I could stay Sir – although I'd like to point out that you do _live_ alone. I mean – you are used to it."

"Yes, but that doesn't mean I like it," he said as he hobbled his way to the phone. "It's much nicer having company." At that he stopped and lifted his head, looking somewhat contrite. "I mean – you don't have to stay. Of course I'll be okay. It's just that it's nice – you know – to have company."

"It's okay Sir – I'm happy to stay. I just didn't want to overstay my welcome."

"You never could Sam," he smiled at her and then turned and picked up the phone and dialed for pizza.

They spent a fun evening together – eating pizza, drinking beer (soda for her) and watching a silly movie. It was almost midnight before Sam realized how late it had gotten and it was only then that she noticed because the Colonel had started to yawn.

"Oh heavens," she said, standing up and gathering up the glasses. "You're tired and I've stayed way too late. Just let me put -"

"Sam – stop! Don't worry about those. I'll tidy up in the morning. And don't worry either about staying late. It's been fun and I'm _fine_. I can sleep in as late as I want tomorrow and I'm getting better. I'll be back at work on Monday."

She ignored him and continued to put away the remains of their dinner. He rolled his eyes and simply watched her, too tired to get up right then – and this way she would stay for a few more minutes.

It had been a great evening and Jack hated that it was coming to an end. What he'd said earlier was true – he missed having someone around. He'd loved being married, loved sharing the house with another person, having someone to talk to – or simply to be with. He'd gotten used to being on his own the last few years, but that didn't mean he liked it. No, having Sam here had shown him what he was missing, how much he'd _forgotten_ what he was missing.

He sighed.

"Are you okay Colonel?" Sam asked, concerned.

"I'm fine Carter," he replied wearily. "Just tired."

"I shouldn't -"

"Oh for heaven's sake! It's not because of you! I _loved_ having you here – and I'd rather you didn't have to leave. I'm just tired because of these damn pills."

"Oh." She stared at him in surprise. "Uh – I liked – loved it too," she admitted. "It was fun – nice – no, more than nice." She closed her eyes in embarrassment, not sure how to get out of this one. "I should – go."

"Yes – no," he suddenly said. "Look – you're tired too and it's late. Why don't you stay in my guest room? That way -" He stopped. He had been about to say that that way she'd be there when he woke up, but he realized that probably wasn't the proper thing to say to her. "Uh – that way – you won't have an accident driving home."

"I'll be fine," she frowned. "It's not that late and I'm a careful driver and I haven't had any alcohol."

"I know but – still – I'll uh – worry."

Her eyebrows ascended at that. He'd seen her in deadly situations many times and hadn't particularly worried – and yet he was concerned that she couldn't drive home safely on a beautiful, clear night?

"It's just – what will people say?" she finally said, trying to remind him that it wasn't appropriate for her to stay at his place.

He shrugged. "I don't know – does it make a difference? Hell, you're carrying my baby and people are soon going to know we – uh – already -" he waved his hands around, trying not to say the actual words.

Of course that immediately made her giggle, and then start to laugh.

"What?" he asked, looking rather put out.

"You're sure we did _that_?" she asked breathlessly, waving her hands in imitation of him.

He slowly began to grin, and then to chuckle. "You know exactly what I meant Carter," he said. "Or do you want me to say that we already had s-"

"No," she gasped, still laughing. "You don't have to say it. It was just your – gestures. Oh heavens, why am I laughing? This is a serious matter."

"No it's not," he grinned in reply. "I mean – yes, of course it is, but we might as well laugh. It's better than crying. So come on – I'll loan you some sweats and you can bunk in my spare room. No one is going to know and even if they do, what are they going to say?"

She finally agreed and followed him down the hallway. She had to admit – to herself only – that it was a strange and rather wonderful, and yet slightly sad, feeling to walk towards Jack's bedroom. She waited in the hallway while he found her some clothes.

"Here," he said, handing her the folded sweat suit. "There's a new toothbrush in the drawer in the bathroom and clean towels in there. I have my own ensuite so make yourself at home. And – thank you for staying." He grinned again. "I feel much better knowing you're safe."

She smiled and nodded and then turned towards her bedroom. It was only as she reached the door did she turn back. "But what about you Jack?" she asked.

"Me?" he frowned, looking at her curiously.

"Are _you_ safer with me here?" With that she entered the room and closed the door behind her. She leaned back against the door and closed her eyes. "What the hell is wrong with you Samantha Carter?" she whispered. After a few moments her eyes opened and she stood straight. She laughed softly. She didn't know what had gotten into her but hell – she was sure going to enjoy it.

Jack stared after her for a long time after she'd gone. "What the hell?" he muttered. What had they done with Samantha Carter? And whom did he have to thank?

With a grin he turned to his own room – knowing he was going to have a helluva time falling asleep – and that it would be totally worth it!


	10. Pudding

_**On a role folks ... Your reviews are making me write! Thanks to: USNeshama, Tamolino, fanka77, Alimoo1971, alicesandra, Applies 26, Schatze8210,houghtam, samoneill01,TamaraJagellovsk, vcm, Smiffy11052, froggy0319, ad694, dom77, ASpecialKindOf, Jacqueline Roget, kahuna, Emmy1512,awishaway and Yol and of course to "guests" who didn't sign in but who sent a review. They may a real difference!**_

"So, what are you going to do Jack?" Daniel asked.

Jack stopped, his mouth open and the spoon suspended in mid-air. He looked down at it and back up at Daniel. "Uh, I'm going to eat it?" he said.

"What?" Daniel frowned, looking confused. "What are you talking about?"

"You asked me what I was going to do," he said, lifting the spoon and showing it to the man opposite him. "I'm going to eat it."

" _Jack_! I'm not talking about your jello -"

"It's pudding," the Colonel replied, putting the spoon in his mouth and licking it with obvious enjoyment.

"I don't care _what_ it is. I want to know what you're going to do now."

Jack sighed and set down the spoon and pushed the bowl of pudding away from him. He didn't really need it anyway. "Daniel, you're going to have to be a bit more specific."

"About _Sam_ ," his friend snapped, sounding thoroughly exasperated.

"About – what about her?" Jack frowned, seriously contemplating the pudding again.

"What are you going to _do_ about her?"

"Do? Nothing. What should I do? Carter is perfectly capable. In fact she has some kind of experiment going. Something about which I know little, and care even less." Yes, the pudding was definitely calling out to him.

Daniel sighed and then looked up hopefully as he saw another member of their team approach. "Teal'c ! Thank God."

"For what reason do you thank your deity, Daniel Jackson," the Jaffa said as he laid his tray down on the table and sat beside the younger man.

"Maybe you can talk some sense into Jack!"

Teal'c turned and regarded his commander closely – the commander who was gazing in longing at the chocolate pudding in front of him. Teal'c then turned back and picked up his own fork. "I do not believe that is possible Daniel Jackson." With that he took a big bite of chicken potpie.

"Aaargh! Don't either of you _care_?"

Jack frowned and lifted his eyes. "Of course we care Daniel. Uh – about what?"

"About _SAM!"_ Jackson practically shouted. "She's pregnant with _your_ child and you don't seem to even care."

"Daniel! Keep your voice down," the Colonel quickly perused the room to see if anyone overheard the very loud archaeologist. When it seemed that no one had noticed he relaxed. "You don't have to announce it to the whole world," he said calmly.

"I wasn't trying to. What I _was_ trying to do was to find out what you are planning on doing."

"I kind of got that Daniel," the Colonel replied.

"Well?"

"Well?" He regarded the apparently ready to burst man opposite him and finally decided to give the poor guy a break – sort of. "That's my business, mine and Carter's," he answered. With a curse he grabbed the pudding and pulled it towards himself.

"Are you sure you should have that O'Neill?" Teal'c asked, as he shoveled a load of mashed potatoes and gravy onto the biscuit in his hand.

"Why shouldn't I?"

"It is heavily laden with unbeneficial calories, and you are no longer a young man," the big guy answered around the food in his mouth. "And you are soon to be a father. Do you not want to remain alive and healthy for your child?"

He dropped the spoon and leaned his head on his hand. Well wasn't _that_ a downer. "Yeah, of course, although I don't think _one_ bowl of pudding is going to kill me."

"You have to start sometime O'Neill," Teal'c replied, putting a handful of French fries and ketchup in his mouth.

"You two are unbelievable," Daniel huffed. "Our comrade, our teammate, our _friend_ , is going to have a baby and neither of you care."

"Of course I care, Daniel Jackson," Teal'c answered solemnly. "It was for that very reason that I warned O'Neill not to eat the pudding."

Daniel dropped his head to the table and gently banged it repeatedly.

Jack's eyebrow went up and he looked at Teal'c. With a shrug he stood up. "I have no idea," he told the Jaffa. "See you guys later. I have to go see Carter."

He chortled as he walked down the hall, remembering poor Daniel's expression. He couldn't fault the man's caring nature, although at times he really _did_ wish he would butt out of his affairs. The fact was, he had _no_ idea what he was going to do about Sam.

He knew what he _wanted_ to do, but that was clearly out of the question. He smirked – although it had afforded him a few fun fantasies. No, he was getting old and Sam needed a young, brilliant man – wait – no brilliant _young_ handsome guy was going to be father to _his_ child!

He frowned and stopped suddenly, causing the poor Airman behind him to plow into him.

"Oh – I'm sorry Sir, Colonel," the young man gasped. "I didn't -"

"Next time watch where you're going Airman," Jack scowled. He watched as the poor guy scurried away and felt a moment's pang of guilt. But it left quickly. He had more serious things on his mind than the sensibilities of a young Airmen. And anyway, it would toughen him up!

He had to think about what he was going to do about the woman who was pregnant with his child. The woman he fantasized about on a regular basis. The woman who made him laugh, who challenged him, who supported him and who made him hor-

"Ooph! What the – oh, sorry Lieutenant," he gave the young nurse a smile and stepped back. She had been hurrying down the hall with a load of – something – and he'd again stopped, causing a collision.

"Uh – that's okay Sir," she replied breathlessly. "It was my fault."

"No it wasn't," he told her. "Need some help?"

"Uh – no – thank you – but – no, that's fine Sir – I mean unless – no, I'm okay," she smiled and scurried off, clearly nervous to be around him.

He sighed and leaned against the wall. He remembered the day when young, pretty nurses _flirted_ with him. Now they were scared of him and treated him like their father. He started to feel depressed.

"What's wrong Colonel?"

He lifted his head – well okay, he didn't really have to lift it – and saw Janet Fraiser standing in front of him. He sighed. She probably wanted to stick him in the butt with another needle. "Nothing," he said morosely.

She smiled and took his arm. "Come in and have a cup of coffee. I need to get off of my feet for a few minutes so you can join me."

He followed her into her office and plunked himself in the chair by her desk. First he looked around carefully to make sure there were no –

"No needles Sir, don't worry," she laughed.

He gave her a tepid grin. "Just makin' sure Doc," he said. "I don't want to be a fly to your spider!"

She laughed again and poured him a coffee from the machine she kept ready in her office. There were many times when she didn't have a second to make it to the commissary and caffeine was a necessity.

She sat down facing the Colonel. "So tell me, what's wrong? You're feeling okay, aren't you?"

"Yeah, the bug bites have all cleared up."

"Good. So what has you looking so – down."

"Teal'c wouldn't let me eat my pudding," he told her grumpily. "And Lieutenant – what's her name? The little red-head?"

"Harris?"

"Yeah, that's the one. She thinks of me like a father."

"Uh – okay," Janet frowned. "Look, I'm sure that Teal'c doesn't mind if you eat pudding. I – you probably misunderstood."

"No I didn't," he answered, looking down. "He said I'm old and it'll kill me."

Janet suddenly looked as if she was beginning to understand. "I – see. And Lieutenant Harris?"

Jack sighed and glanced up and then back down. "I'm sure she's nice – it's just that – nurses used to – used to _flirt_ with me Janet. Now they treat me like their _grandfather_!"

"I thought you said she thought of you like a father?"

"Same difference," he sighed. "I'm old Janet."

"You are _not_ old Sir," she said briskly. "You are certainly more mature than a lot of the folks here, but since most of them barely stopped wearing diapers that doesn't mean anything. And as for Lieutenant Harris, I'm afraid you're wrong Colonel."

"Wrong?" this time he did look up, a frown on his face.

"She doesn't think of you as a father figure. Hell Sir – my nurses are _all_ in love with you – or with Daniel, although I think they think you're more interesting. He brings out more of their – mothering instinct while you -" she stopped suddenly, practically swallowing her tongue.

He looked at her suspiciously. "While I _what_?"

"Uh, nothing."

" _Janet_?"

She sighed. "Okay _fine!_ They all think you're terribly sexy and I've heard more than one of them wondering what you'd be like -"

"What I'd be like - ?" he said, his eyebrows _both_ raised.

"In bed Sir, in bed."

"Oh." Well _that_ stopped him cold, although he couldn't help but feel a tiny bit – a smidgeon really – just a tad – well okay, maybe a _lot_ proud of himself. _Yes_ , he still had the old O'Neill sex-appeal. "You're sure?" he asked abruptly, wondering if Janet was just trying to appease him.

"Oh yeah Sir, I'm sure," she said with a role of her eyes. "They vie to – uh – I shouldn't be telling you this Colonel."

"Sure you should Janet, " he said with a gleam. "For what do they _vie_?"

"Uh, to do your physical," she told him, laughing when she saw the red creeping up his neck.

"They're young enough to be my _daughters_ Janet," he said at that, suddenly feeling uncomfortable. That made Janet laugh.

"Sir, you were just complaining a moment ago that they thought of you like a father and you didn't like that!"

"Well – that's different," he told her, although he had no idea why. Instead he let out a long slow breath and took a sip of coffee.

"So, what else is bothering you, besides pudding and my nurses?"

"Well – it's really – I don't think I should -"

"It's Sam, isn't it?" she asked gently.

He swiftly raised his eyes to look at her – surprised at the understanding and gentleness he saw. Janet could be scary where her friends were concerned and he knew that she and Sam were close. But right now she appeared to be concerned solely for him.

"Yeah," he sighed. "I don't know what to do."

She nodded. "It must be hard. Have you talked to her?"

"Yeah – I mean – sort of. I've told her I'll be there for her and that I want to be part of my – our – the child's life. Other than that we haven't really talked about anything. I mean, there's time."

"Mmm," she hummed, simply looking at him.

"What does that mean?" he scowled.

"Uh – nothing. If you think you have lots of time then why are you worried?"

"Because – oh hell, I don't know," he ran his finger through his hair, his default gesture when he was stressed.

"Are you happy about the child Colonel?"

"Happy? I mean – I guess. I don't know. I never really thought – Janet, I'm too old to have a kid again. Hell, I'm going to be in the old folks home by the time the kid is in high school!"

She laughed – but then looked as if she forced herself to stop when she saw the Colonel's hurt expression. She reached out and touched his leg. "You will _not_ be old Sir. You're extremely healthy – you know that I told you that Thor and the Sarcophagus have both ensured that you're physically younger than your years. And your brain – " she stopped and bit her lip.

"My brain?" he looked at her out of narrowed eyes.

She laughed again. "Your brain is just fine! You're very smart and we all know it Colonel – even though you _do_ sometimes pretend to be otherwise."

He sighed and leaned forward. "Busted," he muttered.

"I really wouldn't worry Colonel. You'll do just fine. This child is lucky to have you as its father and I know Sam is happy."

"She is?"

"Of course. I thought she told you?"

"She did," he sighed. "But maybe she had to say that."

"Oh, I doubt that Sir. Look, I understand you're feeling scared. This is a big responsibility and it's a strange situation. But both of you care for one another and you're also both smart people. You'll figure it out. I do suggest you talk to her though. She's the best one to help you."

"I did talk to her," he said. "But that was before she slept over."

There was silence in the room and it took him a second to replay what he'd said. Then – "oh damn! You didn't hear that Doc."

"Uh – o – kay," she said. "Sir, what did you do?"

"Nothing! I did nothing. It was the day she took me home from the Infirmary. She stayed to make sure I was okay and then I was worried about her driving home – alone – at night," he grimaced, realizing how stupid that sounded. "Okay _fine_! I wanted her to stay because I was feeling lonely! And she stayed in the guest room. We didn't do anything!"

Janet was fiercely biting her lip as she listened to the Colonel. She wondered if he had any idea – any idea at all – of how bad he had it for Major Carter. "I'm sure you didn't Sir," she said calmly. "I won't say anything, don't worry – although I do think you need to talk – some more," she clarified. "Things are changing rapidly and you need to be making some – decisions."

"Yeah, decisions." He stood up slowly and put his cup down. "Thanks Janet. I appreciate the – coffee."

"Anytime Sir," she smiled and stood. She then leaned forward and gave him a kiss on the cheek. "Everything will be fine. Just be honest with Sam and tell her – how you feel – I mean, how you're feeling. She'll understand."

"Yeah." He sighed and walked to the door. Before he left his eyes lifted to hers. "This emotion and talking stuff – it's hard you know."

"I know Sir," she said gently. "But you're doing just fine." She watched as he left her office and shook her head. "You're a keeper Colonel. Sam is one lucky woman!"

Sam, the lucky woman, was staring at the alien contraption in front of her. She knew what it did – or what it was supposed to do – and it was something that could revolutionize their own technology. If she could get it to work they could increase power efficiency by up to 50% - creating a huge savings for the program. She knew all of these things – and _she didn't care!_

"Aargh!" she cried, wanting to throw the damn thing across the room. She put her hand on her belly, where there was now a small bump. "Sorry sprout," she said softly. "Ignore your Mommy. She's in a bad mood."

"Who's in a bad mood?"

Sam whipped her head up – startled at the sudden appearance of the Colonel. "Uh – hi Sir. What are you doing here?"

"Not happy to see me?" he gave a half-grin. "I'll leave you to your technology then -"

"God no! Please – I'm thrilled to see you and you can save me from this – from this _thing!"_ She pushed it away.

"Uh – okay Carter." He frowned. "You alright?"

"Yes Sir," she sighed.

"But _you're_ the one in the bad mood, right?"

"Yes, I'm afraid so. I just can't seem to get into my work today. I don't know what's wrong. I mean, this is an amazing discovery," she indicated the strange looking object on the counter. "It could change the way we run the Gate – and today I just want to throw it in the trash!"

"Mmm – that's usually the way I feel about most alien technology – except the big guns of course," he grinned. "Those are kind of cool. But I wouldn't suggest you throw it away. George might not like it."

"No, I don't suppose he would," she choked back a laugh. "I told you, it's me Sir. I just – I don't know what's wrong."

"Feeling kind of antsy?"

"Yes, exactly."

"And slightly depressed?"

"Mmm hmm. Although there's no reason to be."

"And kind of like you want to crawl out of your skin?" he continued, ignoring her words.

"Yes, that's how I'm feeling," she squinted at him, wondering where this was coming from. "Uh – how do you -"

"Kind of feeling that way myself," he explained. "I think we need another pizza night," he told her.

Her eyebrows went up at that, although he was also pretty sure he saw the beginnings of a smile. "A pizza night?"

"Yup. Guaranteed to calm the nerves and brighten the spirits!"

"And – are Teal'c and Daniel coming too?" she asked.

His face fell slightly. "If you want them to," he told her.

"NO. I mean – that's okay. I'm sure they're busy. In fact I'm pretty sure I heard Daniel say he had translating to do, _lots_ of translating."

"Yes – I remember that as well. It was very _important_ translating too. And I think Teal'c was doing some important – uh – Kelnoreeming."

"And you know how important that is."

"It is," he nodded in agreement. "He gets very crabby if he doesn't do it enough."

"Mmm – so it looks like I'm the only one not doing – important stuff," she said, avoiding looking at the alien object."

"Good – that's good Carter. So – pizza night?"

"That would be nice Colonel – if you're sure?"

"Oh yeah – yeah, I'm – of course."

"Can I bring something?"

"Just your - maybe a – salad or something?"

She looked surprised. "I didn't know you liked salad Colonel."

"Well, I am trying to be healthy," he explained. "Gotta stay fit for - " he pointed to her stomach.

It took a moment for Sam to realize what he was talking about. For a moment she'd thought – and then felt herself color. "Of course. I'll bring a salad."

"Good – good. So you'll come over at about -?"

"Seven? Or how about six?" she said, when she saw his face fall."

"Sure, six is good." He turned and headed to the door. "See ya later Carter."

"Yes Sir," she smiled and then looked enquiringly at him when he stopped. "Colonel?"

"Uh – maybe we shouldn't say anything to Daniel or Teal'c. I wouldn't want them to – uh"

"Get distracted from their very important work?"

"Exactly Major," he grinned, gave her a sloppy salute, and left.

Sam turned around, a big smile on her face. After a second she noticed the alien object. Her eyes focused on it and she pulled it towards her. "Now, how the hell do you work?"

Jack whistled all the way to the Commissary. He figured it was time for a snack.


	11. Team Night

_**Thank you so much for the lovely reviews. My muse has returned with great force, helped by my amazing readers!**_

 _ **Asking for everyone's positive thoughts and best wishes! We put in an offer on a house today in Los Angeles. Please wish me luck!**_

The doorbell rang and Jack instantly felt his heart rate go up. He checked the house carefully to make sure everything looked neat and clean. Not that it didn't usually – he was a neat kind of guy and he had a regular housekeeper. But tonight was special. It was pizza night with Carter!

Smiling he walked to the door and opened it. "Hey Sam, come in!"

She stepped forward, a big smile on her face and a huge bowl of salad in her hands. "I think I got a bit carried away," she confessed. "There's probably enough here for the entire base."

"That's okay," he grinned. "We'll be extra healthy." He took the bowl from her hands. "I'll just put this in the fridge. Are you ready for pizza? I thought I'd wait until you were here to order it."

"Sure – sounds good. It smells nice in here," she commented.

"Yeah – cleaning lady came today," he told her as he picked up the phone.

"Really? You use someone do you? I keep telling myself I should, but then I feel guilty and do it myself."

"You need to get over that Carter. It's not like you don't have a busy job. You don't need to do it all."

"I know," she sighed. "It's the perfectionist side of me I guess. You should give me your lady's name. Maybe she'll do my house too."

"What?" he stopped looking shocked. "Give you my cleaning lady's _name_? Samantha Carter – that's asking a lot. Why Mabel is – she's -"

"What Colonel?" Sam grinned.

"She's special. She's been with me for years and – I don't just go around giving her name to _anyone_ you know."

"And I'm anyone?" she asked.

He sighed and laid his hand over his heart. "I guess I can tell you Carter - I mean, you _are_ the mother of my child. Just don't tell anyone else!"

Sam felt a warm glow start in the middle of her chest and then grow to encompass her whole body. The way the Colonel casually mentioned that she was having his – their baby – made her want to cry. "Thank you," she said, her voice heavy with tears.

Instantly he looked worried. "Hey – it's no big deal, really. I was only teasing Sam."

"I know," she laughed, although it broke in the middle. "I wasn't – it wasn't that."

"Then what was it?" he asked gently, moving to her and putting his hands on her arms.

"It was – it was the way you called me the mother of your child."

"What?" he smiled. "But you are."

"I know – but it's – you didn't _want_ this Jack and yet you're being so wonderful about it."

"Hey," he pulled her forward and wrapped his arms around her. "I didn't _not_ want it. It's just not something that I thought would happen. But now that it has – I'm happy about it." He stopped for a moment, wanting to ask but afraid at what her –

"Me too," she said into his chest. She then laughed. "I can't believe that I'm saying this, but I'm grateful to those aliens. I didn't think I was ever going to have children."

"What?" he frowned and leaned back. "Of course you would – I mean, if you – if we hadn't – you know."

She shook her head, still not looking at him. "No. Because of Jolinar, Janet was pretty sure I'd have trouble getting pregnant."

"Oh." He hadn't known that and suddenly felt bad – and then good. "Well, you are and you're going to be a wonderful Mom." He heard her sniff and then she pulled slightly away.

"Uh – time for pizza Sir?"

"Of course," he grinned. "Your wish is my command. Never let it be said that I was foolish enough to get in the way of a pregnant woman and her pizza. Let's go!" He took her hand and pulled her gently into his living room.

"Sit!"

Forty-five minutes later they were sitting beside each other on the couch, both of them with their shoes off and their feet up. They were munching on pizza and laughing at anything and everything.

It was wonderful.

They didn't talk that night – at least not about anything important, but by the end of it both of them were feeling much better.

Jack wanted to invite her to stay over again – in his guest room he told himself – but didn't. He knew it wouldn't be wise, although damn he wanted to. He felt his spirits sink the moment she drove away.

He had trouble sleeping that night, going over the evening in his mind. He couldn't believe that he was growing to lo - _like_ Major Carter even more now that he was getting to know her outside work. She'd always been special, but there had been a wall, a distance between them that was now starting to crumble.

Oh, it was still there, still _had_ to be there, but slowly, brick by brick it was coming down. He just wished he knew what was going to happen when it came down completely.

He finally fell asleep in the wee hours of the morning, a smile on his lips.

"Hey, you're looking happy today Jack," Daniel commented. "What's up?"

"Nothing," the Colonel said. "Everything's great."

"We scheduled for another mission?"

"Nope – not that I've heard. I have to go see Hammond in a few minutes. What are you up to?"

"Me? Nothing really. In fact I'm getting a bit bored. I don't have any important projects right now."

"Uh – no translating?"

Daniel stared at him for a few seconds. "Translating?"

"Yeah – isn't that something you do? Translate."

"Yes, sometimes. But no, I don't have any translating. Why?"

"Oh – just thought I heard someone say you did."

"Really? That's odd. Oh well – say, we should get together some night – you know, a team night? We could order pizza and play cards. We haven't gotten together since – well, for a long time."

"Sure Daniel, that sounds like fun."

"How about tomorrow night?"

"Tomorrow?" Jack looked at him and didn't know what to say. He and Sam were having Spaghetti night tomorrow.

"Yeah. You don't have anything planned do you?"

"Uh – I think – let me - I'm pretty sure I have something going on."

"What?" Daniel frowned.

"What do you mean "what"? I do have a life Daniel. Do you think all I do is live on base and have team nights? I do have other friends – places to go, people to visit, etc. etc."

"Hey – I didn't mean to imply you didn't. I just don't remember you talking about it before. What kinds of things do you do?"

Jack scowled. "Just things Daniel – all kinds of things. Like – I do – things. Oops, sorry, gotta go. The General is waiting. I'll let you know about tomorrow, okay. I'm pretty sure I'm doing some – thing tomorrow."

"That was strange!" Daniel murmured as he watched Jack practically escape down the hallway.

"What was strange?"

"Whoa! Teal'c, don't scare me like that."

"I did not attempt to scare you Daniel Jackson. I was simply walking down the corridor as I do every day. It was you who -"

"Okay, okay, I get it. And I was just saying that Jack was being a bit strange."

Teal'c stared at him.

"What?" Daniel frowned.

"O'Neill is always strange," Teal'c answered. "It would be strange if he were _not_ strange."

Daniel laughed. "Yeah, I guess that's true. But this time he was being _extra_ strange. I suggested a team night and he told me he had something else going on."

"And that is "strange"?" Teal'c raised his brow.

"Yeah. I mean Jack never does _anything_. What could he be doing?"

"He could be curling," Teal'c told him.

" _Curling_? You mean as in the sport – the one with rocks and brooms?"

"Indeed," Teal'c nodded.

"Why would he be curling?"

"I do not know."

"Oh."

"He could also be beading."

"Bea – _what_?"

"Making jewelry out of beads. It is a very interesting and beautiful art."

"I'm – uh – sure it is. Somehow I don't picture Jack doing that."

"No? Well then he may be belly dancing. I have heard it is very good exercise and increases flexibility. I have been meaning to try it."

Daniel choked. "Jack? Belly dancing? Teal'c., where are you getting these ideas and why do you think Jack is doing any of them?"

"I do not. You asked what he could be doing and I was giving you various options. I have no knowledge of what he truly is doing."

"I – see," Daniel shook his head. "I mean if we did it that way he _could_ be building an igloo, or swinging from a tree!"

"Indeed he could, although why he would want to do either I do not know. They do not seem to be particularly interesting or wise choices."

"I guess not," Daniel answered, looking stunned.

"So you see Daniel Jackson, O'Neill was not acting strange – he was simply participating in many different hobbies. I will have to ask him to show us a belly dance."

Daniel turned and fled to his office, sure that his teammates had both gone mad.

Sam was humming as she bent her head over her calculations. She was close to solving the puzzle of the alien power booster. For some reason her brain, which had been incredibly sluggish lately, had kicked into high gear and she was accomplishing even more than she usually did.

Janet told her it was the joy of the second trimester. Well, she didn't know about _that_. She figured it had more to do with going over to Jack's for regular team nights (okay, not really _team_ nights since it was only the two of them). Or it also could have been partly because of Mabel. Sam had hired the older woman, who had instantly taken her under her wing. Sam now had a clean house, clean clothes and regular, healthy meals. It meant she had more time to spend with – to spend working.

"Hey Carter!"

She turned and smiled at the man who had quickly become the center of her universe. "Hi Sir. Whatcha up to?"

"Oh, just returned from seeing Hammond. Everything's hunky dorey! We'll probably get another mission in a week. Janet wanted me to stay back until now to make sure there were no long term affects from the buggies."

"Buggies Sir?" she smiled.

"Yeah – although they were more like BUGS," he said in a deep, scary voice!

She giggled. "No long term affects I hope?"

"Nope! Nada, Zilch, etc, etc. I'm good – healthy as horse."

"And h – uh, good." She closed her eyes, dying at what she'd almost said. What the hell was wrong with her? You do _not_ tell your CO that he's hung like a horse – even if he sort of is.

"What are you grinnin' at Carter?" he asked suspiciously.

"Oh, just thinking about horses Sir. I've always liked them."

"Yeah," he frowned. "Me too. We'll have to go riding sometime - I mean, after the sprout gets here."

"I would definitely like that Sir." Her naughty mind instantly thought of another kind of riding she'd like to do with the Colonel – and felt her neck grow hot. He gave her a strange look and she smiled more widely. "I've almost figured it out," she indicated the alien object.

"Of course you have Carter," he nodded. "I never had any doubt that you would."

She looked at him and realized he meant what he said. She couldn't help feeling touched by his obvious faith in her. She just wished –

"How's Mabel," he asked suddenly.

"Oh, she's great! I love her and it's so nice to come home to a clean house and a freshly cooked meal."

"She _cooks_ for you?" he asked, sounding jealous. "She's never offered to do that for me."

"I'm sorry Colonel. I guess she just likes me better!"

In actual fact Jack had arranged with Mabel to provide meals for Carter. He knew that she often got so involved in her work that she forgot to eat. Now that she was pregnant it was vital that she ate well and rested – and he'd enlisted Mabel to ensure Sam did both.

"Great – betrayed by my own cleaning lady. What is the world coming to?"

She giggled, and felt happier than she'd felt – oh, since she'd last seen the Colonel. God, you have it bad Sam, she told herself. Maybe she should start figuring out how to put a bit of distance between them. This was getting dangerous.

"So, you still coming over tomorrow?" he asked.

"Uh – yes, if that's okay?" So much for distance!

"Yeah, it's great. Uh Daniel asked about getting together for a team night tomorrow. I told him I thought I had something going on."

"Something?" she grinned.

"I couldn't think fast enough. But I was wondering -"

"Let's invite them both," she interrupted. I haven't seen either Daniel or Teal'c – except at work – for too long."

"Okay," he smiled. "I can do that. It'll be fun."

He was whistling as he walked away from Carter's office. It was quickly becoming apparent to him that he needed a daily dose of Samantha Carter. Without her his days were just – blech!

"Hey Jack!" Daniel walked in his front door, followed closely by Teal'c. "We brought beer and donuts!" he said.

"Uh – thanks Daniel," Jack said, taking the box of donuts and pointing Teal'c to the kitchen to put the beer in the fridge. "I'm just ordering pizza. What kind do you guys want?"

"I shall have the completely dressed pizza, O'Neill," Teal'c informed him.

"All-dressed it is. Daniel?"

"Uh – doesn't matter. I can eat Teal'c's all-dressed."

"You shall not, Daniel Jackson. There is not enough for both of us."

"I'm ordering extra large Teal'c," Jack told them.

"That was my understanding O'Neill," his Jaffa friend answered.

"Okay, so _two_ extra large all-dressed."

"Hey, shouldn't you wait and find out what Sam wants," Daniel called.

"She likes Mediterranean," he answered without thinking. A moment later he had ordered the pizzas and returned to the living room, to catch a strange look from Daniel.

"What?" he asked, instantly looking down at his fly.

"Your pants are in order O'Neill," Teal'c informed him.

"Oh, good. But why are you staring?"

"I am not," the big guy said. "I am simply looking at you."

"Okay. But what about Daniel?"

"How do you know Sam wants Mediterranean? She might prefer something else."

"No, that's – I mean, she told me," he backtracked.

"She _told_ you? When?"

"What is this Daniel, an interrogation? She told me she might be a few minutes late and that I should go ahead and order her the Mediterranean pizza. Satisfied?"

"Yeah, sorry," Daniel grinned. "I was just worried for a minute that something was going on."

"What? A secret pizza society," Jack asked sarcastically. Inside however, he was feeling relieved. He'd managed to pull that one off! The fact was, he and Sam had been having regular nights at his place for a couple of weeks. It had become his favorite part of – hell, of his life. He'd also gotten to know more about her likes and dislikes.

"No," Daniel laughed. "I don't know what I was thinking. So, we gonna play poker?"

"If you want – and if Sam wants to," Jack said.

"It is starting to be evident that Samantha Carter bears your child, O'Neill," Teal'c suddenly announced.

"Huh?"

"He means you can see the bump," Daniel explained.

"That's kind of what I thought Daniel. So, your point Teal'c?"

"Do you not feel that you should inform people? There will soon be gossip."

Jack sighed. "Yeah, I know. It's just been nice to not have to deal with that."

"Sounds like you haven't wanted to deal with _anything_ Jack," Daniel told him.

"Hey, that's not fair," he snapped. "I'm dealing – _Sam's_ dealing just fine."

"You barely see her," the soon-to-be-strangled archaeologist said.

"How do you know," Jack answered angrily. "You have no idea how we're dealing!"

"Oh, so you _are_ seeing her!"

"Daniel, it's none of your business whether I'm seeing her or not. We are your friends, not your children."

"I know that. I'm just worried about her – about both of you. This is a big step and you need to deal with it."

"I believe O'Neill just informed you that he and Major Carter _are_ dealing with it. I suggest we leave them to do it."

"Come on Teal'c! Don't tell me you're not interested! Jack and Sam are _family_ – pretty idiotic family right now – but I want the best for them."

"The best would be to let us deal in our own way Daniel. And as for the base," he sighed. "Yes, we have to let people know. We decided a while ago to tell Walter and have him spread the word. He can be counted on to keep the story fair and unbiased."

"I believe that is a good choice O'Neill. I also shall be able to tell some people that you are the father of Samantha's baby and that aliens forced you to have intercourse with your subordinate, in spite of yourselves."

"Uh thanks Teal'c. Hopefully you won't have to say that – uh too much."

"It's going to be a seven days wonder," Daniel exclaimed. "I wonder who will win -" he stopped and bit his lip.

"The bet? Oh, it'll be Walter for sure. He knows everything and everybody." That settled, Jack sat back to wait for the pizza, and more importantly, the girl.

Sam drove slowly to Jack's, not because she didn't want to be there, but because she was trying to exercise self-control, something she'd lost ever since that time on the love planet.

The fact was that going to Jack's house was becoming by far the most favorite part of her week. It was also becoming much more frequent.

They'd kept it to a couple of times that first week, but now it had graduated to almost every evening.

They'd moved away from having pizza every night. Partly it was because it wasn't too healthy but more importantly, she was becoming tired of it.

One night, soon after they'd started their regular evenings, she arrived with a bag of groceries. "I thought I'd cook something, if that's okay Jack?"

"That would be gre – wait a second. You said you can't cook," he said, looking at her accusingly.

"I never said that," she shook her head.

"Sure you did – at least – everyone _knows_ you can't cook. It's why Daniel usually does the cooking on field trips."

Sam grinned. "Well, I may have _let_ everyone think that, but I never said it."

His eyes narrowed. "You're a fraud Samantha Carter!"

She laughed outright at that and made her way to the kitchen. "You know very well Sir, that as the only woman on the team, if I'd said I could cook I would have ended up doing it all the time!"

"Hey – I wouldn't have made you cook _all_ the time. I would have made sure Daniel and Teal'c had a chance."

"And you?"

"Delegation Major, delegation! It's one of the perks of leadership."

She'd whipped up a delicious stir-fry and rice – but in actual fact the conversation was better ever than the food.

She smiled as she remembered that evening, and the many that followed. She didn't know why, therefore, she was feeling so nervous. She pulled into the Colonel's driveway, behind Daniel's car, and just sat for a few moments.

Sam actually knew exactly why she was nervous. Daniel and Teal'c were going to be here and she was afraid – afraid they'd instantly see that she had fallen madly in love with the Colonel.

The fact was, she had loved him for a long time, but it had been more of a hero-worship type of love, a forbidden love. Now that she was getting to know him it had turned to a real love, a meeting of minds and hearts.

She sighed and opened the door. No point staying hidden in her car. She might as well go forth boldly!

"Hey, I thought you'd got lost," Jack greeted her with a smile as he opened the door and let her in.

"Sorry Sir, just wanted to stop and pick this up," she held up a plastic bag.

"And – uh- what is that?"

"Cake Sir," she grinned. "I figured it was a special occasion!"

"Cake!" his eyes gleamed and he took the bag. "You are a woman after my own heart!"

"What's a special occasion?" Daniel asked as he walked out of the kitchen, drying his hands on a towel.

"Cake," responded Jack.

"Cake is the special occasion?"

"Yup," the Colonel nodded, carefully putting the bag down on the table and taking out the box inside.

"What about our donuts?" Daniel asked.

Jack glanced up. "We'll have those after the cake – or before if you prefer."

"Cake _and_ donuts?"

"Sure, it's a special occasion!"

Daniel laughed and shook his head. "He's incorrigible Sam," he said to the woman standing beside him, grinning.

"I know," she agreed.

"Hey, _you're_ the one who brought cake, and you brought donuts Daniel, so don't blame me!"

"Have you ordered the pizza Sir?" Sam asked, enjoying the interplay between two of her favorite men.

"Mmm hmm," he nodded. "Lots of all-dressed and one Mediterranean."

"Great thanks. I almost called but then I figured you'd know what I liked."

"I thought you _had_ called," Daniel said, appearing puzzled.

"What?"

"Jack said you called to say you'd be late and that you told him what kind of pizza you wanted."

"Oh – yeah – uh – I forgot," she replied with a quick glance at the Colonel. "Sorry Sir – I guess I was busy picking – uh – cake and forgot I'd called."

"That's okay Carter," he answered, looking anywhere but at her. "Teal'c, we have cake!" he called out, trying to refocus Daniel's attention – the Daniel who was still frowning.

"I heard O'Neill," Teal'c answered, appearing in the kitchen door. "Samantha Carter knows what pleases you."

"Yeah – uh – she does," coughed Jack. "So campers, let's all sit down. The pizza should be here any minute."

"Did you get the drinks O'Neill?"

"Oh – no."

"Is that not the reason you came to the kitchen?" Teal'c wanted to know.

"Yeah, but then I got distracted with Sam arriving and cake. So, what was it you wanted again Big Guy?"

"Beer."

" _Beer_? But you don't drink beer Teal'c."

"I shall have root beer."

"Oh, _root_ beer. Why didn't you say?"

"I just did."

"Okay – yeah. Daniel?"

"A regular beer Jack – not Guinness!"

"Oh ye of no taste! Sam?"

"I'll have a root beer like Teal'c, Sir."

"I don't think there _are_ any root beer like Teal'c," he answered.

"Hardy har, Sir," she grimaced. "Here, let me help."

Pretty soon they were all seated in the living room, talking about their day and Sg1's upcoming mission.

"I'm sorry Sam, we probably shouldn't be talking about it," Daniel grimaced, suddenly realizing.

"That's okay. I'm actually in the middle of a really interesting project right now so I don't feel too bad. I've been able to discover that the alien power module can amplify the -"

"Uh uh uh," Jack interrupted. "Pizza and beer night, not pizza, beer and _technobabble_ night. Now, let's talk something fun!"

The three friends talked and laughed, and ate pizza and cake. Teal'c raised an eyebrow when Jack had his fourth piece of pizza but the Colonel just grinned.

"I don't care Teal'c," he said. "And anyway, you know what the Romans said!"

"What did the Romans say, Jack?" Daniel shook his head and rolled his eyes.

"Carpe Pizza!" Jack grinned, making a toast with his slice of pizza. He then took a huge bite.

"If you are not careful people will begin to confuse you with Samantha Carter," Teal'c told him.

"What?" Jack frowned. "Why would they confuse us?"

"Your belly will start to grow as is hers. They will wonder if you are bearing a child too."

"I do _not_ have a belly Teal'c! I'm fit as a horse."

"He eats pretty carefully Teal'c," Sam defended him. "It's just that tonight is special. I mean, he's been eating salads and lots of vegetables –" her voice faded out and she looked guiltily at Jack.

"How do you know he's been eating healthy Sam?" Daniel asked. "Hey, something's going on and you're not telling us!"

Jack sighed. "Nothing is going on Daniel. Sam and I just grabbed dinner a couple of times. We have to discuss – stuff."

"Really? You've been discussing things?" Daniel said hopefully. "It's about time. Cheesh – I thought you guys were hopeless. So, what did you decide?"

"That we have very nosey friends and that Sam doesn't like turnips."

" _What_? No, I mean really."

"I believe O'Neill is trying to tell you to butt out of his and Samantha's lives," Teal'c interjected.

"Exactly Teal'c!" Jack grinned and looked longingly at the pizza. No, that would be gluttony. He sighed and leaned back.

"To _butt out_! Teal'c, who's been teaching you English?" Daniel looked at his friend with irritation.

"You have Daniel Jackson – you and O'Neill. I learned that expression from him. It is very useful."

"It is, isn't it Teal'c?" Jack grinned. "Especially where Daniel is concerned."

"Oh you think you're so funny, both of you! Sam, save me here."

"Why Daniel? I agree with Teal'c. Look, we know you're trying to help and that you love us and worry about us – but this is something the Colonel and I have to figure out ourselves. Your – patience – is appreciated."

"What patience," Jack muttered.

"Indeed," Teal'c nodded.

"Okay fine – I'll stay out of your business. Just don't blame me when things start to get screwed up! Don't run to me for advice!"

"Okay," Jack agreed quickly.

"Daniel," Sam sighed. "You're our friend, and I want to be able to go to you and talk to you if I need to – but right now I don't need to. Things are fine. The Colonel and I _are_ – uh – well, we _will_ figure it out."

"Okay," Daniel sighed and leaned back. "Just don't leave it too long, okay. I know it seems like there's a long time but things have a habit of sneaking up on a person and before you know it the time is now. And – of course I'll be there for you."

"Thanks Danny," Jack gave him a smile. "And we do appreciate it, really we do. And now – anyone for poker?"


	12. The Visitor

_**Thank all of you who wished me luck with the house. We bought it and now are waiting for escrow to close. Yeah! I'll have a house to live in again.**_

Sam's pregnancy wasn't a seven day wonder, it was more like the news of the century! Jack knew that Walter had done his job the day he walked into the Commissary and all sound and motion stopped. It started up again, almost instantly, but this time everyone seemed to be talking at once.

"So, have you heard the news Jack?" Daniel said as he plunked himself in the chair opposite the Colonel.

"What news?" Jack muttered as he morosely stirred his tea.

"Sam is pregnant!"

Jack looked up to see a grinning Daniel Jackson looking at him expectantly.

"Funny, Jackson," he snarked. "I bet you've been waiting all day to say that."

"Yup!" Daniel grinned even wider. "It's gone around the base like wildfire. I've already had three people tell me the news – in total confidence of course."

"Of course." Jack stirred his tea again, and then took a sip. "So, what's the general reaction?"

Daniel was silent, intent upon adding cream and sugar to his coffee.

"Daniel?"

"Uh – what?" Daniel glanced up.

"You know you take your coffee black, don't you?"

The younger man peered down at his coffee and shrugged. "Yeah."

"So, tell me the worst."

"It's not really _bad_."

" _Daniel!_ "

"Okay, fine. I haven't heard anyone who doesn't believe that this whole thing was caused by the alien globe – everyone knew about Chloe and Dr. Lee, after all."

"But?"

"But the word is -"

"Daniel, spit it out."

"The word is that neither of you are that upset by it because it enabled you to – you know – without consequence. Everyone thinks you're glad it happened."

Well damn! Jack didn't know quite what to say to that because the fact was, that was true. Oh, at first he'd been pissed at having his life – his and Sam's – screwed up by the pimps of an alien race. But now he was definitely glad. And if he had the opportunity to go back in time and change things – well, he didn't know if he would.

"What do you think you're gonna do?" Daniel asked.

"Do?" he frowned. "About what?"

"Well, I assume you want to stop those rumors from going around."

"What rumors? We wanted people to know she was pregnant."

"No, I don't mean that. I mean the rumors that you and Sam – wanted this."

"Oh."

"Is that all you're going to say?"

"I don't know what else you _want_ me to say. The fact is -"

"Yes?"

"They're – kind of right."

There was silence for a moment and then Daniel slapped his hand on the table. "I _knew_ it!" he chortled. "Oh God – Teal'c is so going to owe me!"

" _Daniel?"_ Jack stared at him out of narrowed eyes.

"He said that you weren't happy over the events that occurred and I said you were. I was right and Teal'c is going to owe me."

"I'm glad for you Daniel," Jack said sarcastically. "Have you talked to Sam?"

"No. She's hiding in her lab. I think she only plans to come out after your kid is in college."

Jack let out a crack of laughter. "Being a coward, is she?"

"Mmm hmm. I must say I'm impressed that you came here today, with all the gossip flying around."

"I forgot," he sighed. "Oh well, I'm sure the worst is over and soon we can all get back to work."

And the really crappy thing about the whole thing, he realized, after Daniel had left, was that nobody said congratulations. Although he could understand why, it still felt sad that no one was happy for him – them.

"I hear congratulations are in order Jack!" Ferretti slapped him on the back and sat down. "Gonna be a Daddy! Way to go."

He laughed. Okay, so leave it to Ferretti to ignore the elephant in the room and go directly to the heart of the matter. He realized then – for the hundredth time since he'd known him, that Louis Ferretti was a great guy.

"Uh – thanks Louis. How did you hear?"

"Hmm – not sure if it was the Marines or Nurse Johnson. No, it may have been Emilio, the garbage guy. Wait – maybe it was Griff – no, it wasn't Griff. I'd already heard by the time he – _Dixon_ , that's who it was. He was talking – no, he was talking about his own wife being pregnant. Hey, did you know they're having _another_ baby? This makes what – five? I don't know how he finds the time to knock her -"

" _Ferretti!_ "

"What? Oh, you wanted to know how I knew. I told you, it was probably Tim Lucas – you know, the guard at the entrance to the parking lot."

"How the heck would he know –he's stuck up top in a little building and barely talks to anyone."

"I'm sure someone told him as they were leaving. I find Lucas has more information about this place than just about anyone."

"So Lucas told you?"

"Yeah I – no," he frowned. "I can't remember. Maybe it was the General."

"The _General_?"

"Mmm hmm. Yeah, that's it. We got back from our mission and during the debriefing he told us Carter was pregnant. Way to go old man!"

"I am not old! - and thank you Ferretti," he grinned and stood. "Hey, when are you going to find yourself a nice woman and settle down?"

"Mmm – maybe I'll go to a planet where the aliens will – wait, no, that's been done already. And there are no women on my team so - no." He grinned and stood up as well. "I think I'll stay happily single. You'll envy me when you're up all night changing diapers Jack!" With that he sauntered away.

Jack turned and headed to the door, suddenly feeling much better than he had a few minutes ago even if he did have diapers to look forward to.

He made his way down to Carter's lab, knowing he had to see her and to check on how she was doing. This whole thing had to be hard on her. And then there was the other thing …!

He'd been thinking about it all week, but hadn't yet broached the subject. It's not that he was a coward, it's just that things had been going so well and he didn't want to screw them up.

He sighed and debated, for at least the hundredth time, if he should say something now, or wait until the next time she came over for pizza/spaghetti/taco/chinese/salad night?

He knew he should probably wait. It wasn't smart to start personal conversations on base, but he also knew that if he waited until she came over, he'd be too afraid to spoil the evening – they had become his favorite part of the week. He sighed again. Maybe he should just get this over with.

Yup, this was what he had to do. While they didn't have to get into things here, now, at least he'd give her fair warning that tonight was the night.

He made his way down the long corridor, praying for an alien invasion. Just a little, teeny one – a few snake-heads, an Unas or two, that's all. He wasn't asking much but the damned aliens were never there when you needed them.

"Hey Jack, where ya going?"

Damn! Of course he'd meet Mr. Nosey Pants Jackson again. Why couldn't he have stayed in his office, looking at fat fertility statues like he usually did? He was sure the archaeologist had told him he was busy with some – thing – to do with – some – race or something.

"Nowhere."

"Just wandering aimlessly?" Jackson smiled.

"Yup."

"Are you allowed to do that?"

Jack stared at him. "Why wouldn't I be?"

"Well, I thought maybe the Air Force frowned on that sort of thing."

Jack snorted. "Yeah, it's in the regs. You're not allowed to walk down the halls of the SGC without a specific purpose and destination."

"Funny. Wanna go get a coffee? I was headed that way myself."

"Uh Daniel, I just finished lunch. _You_ just finished lunch. In fact we were together not 20 minutes ago in the Commissary.

"Okay, all you had to do was say no."

Jack sighed. "No. Look, you go enjoy your coffee. I'm going for a walk."

"Oh. Want some company?"

"No. I mean – thanks, but that's okay. Go get your coffee. I'm just going to stretch my legs and head back to my office. I'm doing some paperwork for the General."

"Paperwork? Sounds like fun. See ya later," Daniel gave a short wave and headed off. Jack watched until he was out of sight and then turned towards the elevator, which would take him to the science floor.

"O'Neill, where are you going?"

What was this? Was _everyone_ out walking the halls? The next person he'd see was probably the General.

"Just going for a walk Teal'c," he told the big guy. "I've been stuck in my office all morning and decided I needed a bit of exercise."

"Would you like to accompany me to the gymnasium? I am practicing K'al-nura and I would be happy to teach you."

"Uh, thanks Teal'c but I'll take a rain check on that - that means I'll join you another time," he explained as Teal'c frowned. "But thanks."

"You are welcome O'Neill. How are you faring with the news of Samantha Carter's pregnancy being told?"

"What? Oh – fine, just fine. No problem. Nope, everything's hunky dorey."

Teal'c stared at him. "You are sure you do not need to come with me to the gymnasium?"

"No Teal'c, that's okay."

"If you need to discuss how you are feeling -"

"Teal'c?" he exclaimed nervously. He and Teal'c didn't do _feelings._

"- then I suggest you seek out Daniel Jackson," finished Teal'c.

"You sly devil you!" Jack laughed and shook his head. The big guy had a surprising sense of humor! He waved to him. "Have fun with your Kal –kan thing."

"K'al-nura."

"Yeah, that."

He was finally almost in sight of his goal. He glanced around quickly. _Please_ don't let Lee or Felger or any of the other geeks show up right now!

Whew – he made it! He tapped on the door and turned the handle at the same time. A moment later he was staring at a Sam Carter who looked as if she had been expecting a troupe full of Goa'uld.

"Uh, hey?"

"Oh thank God," she said, collapsing back onto her stool. "I thought you were Felgar."

"Whoa – why did you think I was Felgar, and why is that so bad? I mean, I know it's bad, but not so bad to make you look terrified."

"He's been coming in every few minutes to congratulate me and then to commiserate with me. He's _obsessed_ with the fact that I'm – we're pregnant."

"He is," Jack wrinkled his nose. "That's rather creepy."

"Oh, you have _no_ idea!" It took her a moment to stop thinking about Felgar, and at that point she frowned and glanced at the Colonel. "I'm sorry Sir. Did you want something?"

He smiled gently. "Just to see how you're holding up. I know this has to be hard."

"No harder for me than for you," she said logically. "In fact, it's probably _harder_ on you."

"Ya think? _I_ didn't stay hidden in my office all day, avoiding the whispers and stares."

"Were there? Whispers and stares I mean."

"Oh yeah. Nothing malicious though. Daniel says -" he paused. "It doesn't really matter what Daniel says. It's been fine. People are surprised but no one's been mean about it."

"Well, they wouldn't be to your face, would they?" she asked logically.

"Probably not but -", he shrugged. "I refuse to worry about it anymore."

She sighed. "You're probably right. It's just – hard."

"I know, and I'm sorry."

"Not your fault. So, what was the real reason you came," she grinned.

"Uh, I think – maybe - we should talk."

"Talk?"

The klaxon couldn't have been timed more perfectly. Jack wondered if someone or something had heard him wish for an alien invasion. He mostly hoped not but part of him breathed a sigh of relief. Talking could wait.

The announcement of an unauthorized off-world activation had Jack standing frozen for a moment. "I guess -"

"I know, we need to go check it out."

"No, you stay here," he commanded. At her raised eyebrow he grimaced but still shook his head. "You're on desk duty right now. I'll let you know if it's anything important."

He made his way quickly towards the Gate Room, wondering who could be visiting them. It was always a bit nerve wracking, as it often was the heralding of something bad for Earth.

"Do we know who it is?" Jack asked Walter as he stepped into the Control Room. Hammond was already there and he glanced over his shoulder at his 2IC.

"The Tokra," the General told him. "We don't know what it's about."

"Oh, goody," snarked O'Neill. "My favorite aliens – NOT."

"Colonel, I know I don't have to tell you -"

"To be good? I know General, and I will be, but they give me indigestion."

He was pretty sure Walter was grinning – inside - and even the General looked as if he agreed. But Hammond had proper protocol to observe and so he gave O'Neill another stern look.

The last chevron engaged and there was a "woosh" into the Gate room. The event horizon settled back, and Jack again – for probably the hundredth time – realized how beautiful it really was.

A moment later a figure stepped out, with a "sloop".

Jack groaned.

"Colonel?" Hammond glanced at him sharply. "What's the matter? It's just Jacob Carter."

Jack closed his eyes briefly, then opened them and regarded the General. "Uh – Jacob Carter. Sam. Pregnant. Me. Father."

"Crap!" Hammond hissed, as he looked down at the Tokra who was now at the bottom of the ramp. The General leaned over and spoke into the mike. "Welcome Jacob. We'll be right down."

" _We'll_ be right down Sir?" Jack tried his best puppy dog look. It didn't work.

"Yes _we_. You're my second in command. Now let's go."

Jack wondered what the General would do if he suddenly turned and ran away. Throw him in the brig, that's what he'd do. It almost sounded better than what was coming.

"Don't worry Jack," the General said softly. "It'll be okay."

"That's fine for you to say Sir," he muttered. "You're not in danger of losing your cojones!"

Hammond laughed but gave him a sympathetic look just as they arrived in the Gate room.

"What are you in danger of losing Jack?" Jacob asked.

"Uh – just a bet. I bet the General that we were going to have mashed potatoes today. He said it was going to be baked."

"Uh – really?" Jacob looked between the two men, finally shrugging at Hammond's nod. "Things must be slow."

"Things are actually good Jacob," the General smiled. "No major crises. Welcome to Earth. To what do we owe the pleasure of your visit?"

"A purely social call," Jacob answered. "It's been a busy few months and Selmak insisted it was time for a vacation."

"Uh – good for you Selmak," Jack said with a tepid smile. Of course the snake would want a vacation, he thought, and it would be on Earth! He was thoroughly pissed.

"It was actually Jacob who wanted the vacation," Selmak answered. "He was attempting to be humorous." There was a pause and Selmak continued. "He was unsuccessful."

That got an eye-roll the moment Jacob regained control of communicating. "Don't you believe her! She talked non-stop about taking a break, except she wanted to go skinny dipping on Seti IV and I chose Earth."

"Well, we're glad you did Jacob, Selmak. Will you be heading to San Diego?" Hammond enquired, giving Jack a quick look.

"Mmm hmm, but after I've had a chance to see Sam and spend a few days with her. How is she, by the way?" he looked around with a smile.

"Fine!" Jack blurted. "She's fine. Really good in fact. Really good. Really _, really_ good – and fine and healthy. She's healthy – did I tell you that? Yup – she's looking good. Nothing wrong with Samantha Carter. Nope."

" _Jack_!" Hammond gave him a steely-eyes glare. "I think Jacob got it the first time." He turned to the Tokra and former General. "After you've had your medical and a chance to see Major Carter, why don't you come up and have a cup of coffee," he told the other man.

"Sounds good," Jacob/Selmak nodded. "Jack, why don't you come with me? You can tell me all the gossip around here. Anything juicy?" he asked as he spun around on his foot and headed towards the door and the Infirmary, Jack reluctantly following behind.

"Nothing in particular," Jack answered, practically swallowing his tongue. Fortunately Jacob didn't notice and continued to stride ahead.

"So, you're here for a vacation," Jack said, desperately working to keep the conversation off of Sam.

Jacob answered and continued to chat as they headed to the Infirmary, not noticing how quiet Jack had grown. When they arrived the Tokra was taken to a bed quickly and the curtain was pulled shut.

"I'll – uh – just leave you to get this over with Jacob," Jack said through the curtain as he inched to the door. "I'll see you later."

"Wait – Jack!" the older man called, although a moment later he realized he was speaking to thin air. He shook his head. "He's a strange man!"

The "strange man" was hurrying down to the corridor. He and Sam hadn't really talked about Jacob. Oh, he'd expressed the fact that he'd be better in another galaxy, but Sam had simply laughed and told him her father would understand.

He wasn't so sure about that. In fact, he was pretty sure Jacob was going to be pissed. The question was whether or not he'd be angry enough to do Jack harm. With his Tokra strength he could do some serious damage.

But then Sam would whup Jacob's butt! He smiled, thinking about his warrior – ur – _the_ warrior princess Sam.

Speaking of her, he realized he was already at her door even though he didn't even remember walking here. Without taking a moment to think he knocked and then opened her door.

"Hey, what's up?" she asked, looking up from her doohickey. "Did someone come through the Gate?"

"Didn't Hammond call?"

"No. Why? Is it something serious?"

"Sort of. More like terrible."

"Terrible?" she sat up straight and looked at him with worry all over her face. "What's terrible? What happened?"

Jack sighed and plunked himself on a student's chair. "Nothing," he assured her. "At least nothing that will hurt – well, let's say it's not _normally_ awful, but right now – and for you I'm sure it won't be -"

"Sir!" she laughed, realizing that it couldn't be anything dangerous based on his expression. "What is it?"

"Your father."

"My father?" she frowned.

He nodded, his expression somber.

"What about – wait, you don't mean that my father's _here_?" she asked in horror.

He nodded again. "Just got here."

"Oh my God!" she stood up so fast that her chair rolled back and hit the wall. "What are we going to do Jack? We have to go away. How about your cabin? No, that won't work. I know, let's ask General Hammond to send us on a secret mission somewhere. He won't be able to tell my father where we've gone."

"Uh – you can't go through the Gate," he pointed out.

"We don't have to really go on a mission," she said impatiently, as if he should know that. "We can just pretend."

"I don't think Hammond will go for that."

"We can beg!"

"Uh – Sam, I think we're going to just have to tell him. Wait, on second thought I think it would be better coming from you."

"From me? Hell no Jack! _Both_ of us are in this so both of us are going to tell him." She took a deep breath. "You're sure we can't go somewhere."

"No," he sighed. "I don't think so, although going AWOL is sounding pretty good about now."

"Yeah, it is," she sighed as well as she grabbed her chair and sat down again. "So, what are we going to tell him?"

"That I had nothing to do with it and it wasn't in any way my fault!" he told her.

"Hey, there's no way _I'm_ taking the blame for this!"

"No, I didn't mean that, but you know as well as I do that your father will blame me."

"No he won't. We'll just explain what really happened and I'm sure he'll be totally understanding."

"You think he'll believe the "aliens made us do it," scenario?"

"He'll have to. It's the truth and General Hammond can back us up."

"True, although I still think he's going to kill me."

"I won't let him Sir."

Jack took a deep breath and stood up. "Okay Carter, time to face the music – or in this case the Tokra. Come on, let's do this together."

"I'm sure it will be fine," she said, sounding not at all sure. "I mean, my father's a reasonable man."

Jack stopped and looked at her skeptically.

"Okay fine," she agreed. "He's going to kill you."


	13. Dad

_**Oops! I posted the wrong version. This is the updated one with the error corrected. So sorry.**_

"Dad?" Sam peeked around the door into the Infirmary.

"Hey kiddo!" Jacob looked up from buttoning his shirt and then stood up and hurried to his daughter. "It's good to see you!" He gave her a big hug, which she returned enthusiastically.

"It's good to see you too," she said, her voice slightly strained with emotion. She always worried about her father, knowing that he was often in dangerous situations now that he was working with the Tok'ra.

Jacob finally released his daughter and stepped back to regard her carefully. "Jack said you were doing well." Abruptly his eyes narrowed and he looked her over carefully. "Wait – you look different."

"Different?" she laughed nervously. "How?"

He shrugged after a few seconds. "I don't know," he answered. "Maybe it's your hair," but then he smiled and took her arm in his. "So, what's been happening since I've been gone? I tried to get O'Neill to fill me in on the gossip but he was unusually – oh hi Jack," he said, suddenly noticing the Colonel, who was standing just outside the door. "I didn't see you there. Thanks for getting Sam."

"No problem Jacob." He glanced over at Sam, who gave a small grimace but then nodded

"Hey Dad, why don't we go to the Briefing room so we can chat. We can get some coffee there."

"Okay, sounds good, although I don't mind going to the commissary." He grinned. "I could handle a piece of pie."

"I'll get you one," Jack quickly offered. "Sam?"

"Okay," she frowned. "But hurry back," she said pointedly.

"You that hungry?" her father laughed. "Never get between Sammy and pie, Jack."

"No Sir," Jack answered with a watered down grin. "I'll be up in a few minutes," he said, looking at Sam.

Sam nodded and then headed out into the hallway with her father .

"So Sam, what's been happening lately? Nobody's telling me anything, but I can't believe it's that quiet around here."

"Things are going pretty well. We haven't had any major injuries or emergencies or anything – at least nothing really serious. It's been – uh – nice."

"Well, the Goa'uld are on the run although there are a few still out there. Tell me," he said, glancing at her with a slightly suspicious air, "how are _you_ doing?"

"Me? Fine," she answered, sounding surprised. "Why?"

"I don't know. There's just – something – that seems off. It started with Jack and Hammond betting on potatoes."

"Betting on – _what?_ "

"Don't ask! Jack has been acting a bit strange, although to be fair he _always_ acts a bit strange." Jacob laughed. "He didn't get attacked by some alien object again, did he?"

Sam started to choke and eventually her father had to pound her on the back. "Hey, are you okay?"

"I'm - _cough, cough -_ fine," she gasped out. "Just breathed something in the wrong way."

"Well you'd better be careful," he warned her. "Okay now - spill. Something is going on and you're hiding it from me."

Sam sighed, just as they arrived at the briefing room. "Why don't we wait for J-ur – the Colonel," she told him. "He can tell you probably better than me."

"I knew it. What is it? Is there a problem on base?" Jacob frowned. "Wait, I haven't seen Teal'c or Daniel – is everything okay with them?"

"Teal'c and Daniel? They're fine. I expect they're simply working. Dad, it's okay, really. Everyone is fine, _everything_ is fine."

"Okay, I believe you – I guess," he muttered. He regarded his daughter closely. Something _was_ different about her, but he couldn't figure out what it was. She looked healthy enough – really healthy if he were being honest – but different. He sighed and held an internal conversation with Sel'mak, who tried to tell him he was imagining things.

Just then there was a slight commotion, and Jack walked into the room.

His hands were filled with a tray with 3 coffee cups and another with three pieces of pie. "Here you go," he said, setting down the two trays. "Coffee and cherry pie."

"Thank you Sir!" Sam smiled and reached out for the pie, pulling it towards her.

Jacob took a piece of pie and quickly had a bite. Closing his eyes he savored the flavor of the slightly tart, slightly sweet dessert. "That is _so_ good," he murmured. "The Tok'ra don't have anything like it! Oh shut up!" Since his eyes were still closed, both Jack and Sam assumed he was talking to Sel'mak and not to either of them.

The three people ate their pie in silence, each of them enjoying it for very different reasons. Finally Jacob put his fork down and sat back with a contented sigh.

"That was delicious, thank you."

"You're welcome, although it's really the cook you should thank," Jack said, taking the last bite of his piece.

"So Jack – Sam says you have something important to tell me."

Jack's snorted pie crumbs out of his nose and then proceeded to cough up a lung. When he was finally done he turned and he scowled accusingly at his former 2IC. "She _what_?"

"Told me that something had happened and you were going to tell me what it was."

"I did not Dad," Sam protested. "I did not say anything had happened. You assumed that."

"Probably because you were acting strange. And you _did_ tell me to talk to Jack."

"Sam?" Jack looked at her narrowly. "I think it would be better coming from you." She looked at him in panic, but then finally nodded.

"Okay. Well then, yes Dad, something happened."

"What?" Jacob looked between the two younger people. "Was someone hurt?"

"Uh – not hurt exactly Jacob, but there were consequences."

"Okay, just tell me. No more beating around the bush. What happened?"

"Well, it's kind of like – you remember that time the Colonel put his head in the Ancient Repository?"

Jacob frowned.

"The head-sucky thing," Jack clarified.

"Yes, I remember. What of it."

"Well, you remember what happened to Colonel O'Neill?"

"He started speaking Ancient," frowned Jacob, clearly wondering what this was about. "Don't tell me he did it again?" Jacob regarded Jack suspiciously.

"Of course not! I learned my lesson the first time," Jack answered indignantly.

"So why bring it up?" Jacob asked his daughter.

"To try and explain what happened, - this time" Sam said, sounding exasperated.

"Why don't you just _tell_ me what happened this time?"

"That's what I was trying to do when you interrupted me!"

"I did not interrupt you! I asked a simple question, that's all. And it's not as if there isn't precedent for Jack doing – well – slightly unusual things!"

"You mean "stupid, don't you?" Jack glared at him.

"I didn't say that – but if the shoe fits …!"

"Please, no clichés!" Jack growled.

"I'll use clichés if I want to," snapped Jacob. "And the fact of the matter is, Jack, you do have a habit of doing ridiculous things. I mean, it wasn't just the Ancient repository. What about that woman – what was her name? The one who gave you cake?"

"Kynthia," Sam said softly.

"Yeah, Kynthia! You ended up -"

"Hey – who told you about that?" he interrupted, glaring at Sam. "And I was just trying to be polite. Who knew that it was laced with some kind of – of -"

"Aphrodisiac?" muttered Jacob with an evil grin.

That stopped Jack cold. He glanced over at Sam, who was looking at the two of them with an agonized expression. He grimaced and turned back to Jacob. "Look Jacob – I'm sorry. I think we're getting a bit off track here."

"I'm sorry too Jack. I know that thing with the alien woman wasn't your fault," Jacob sighed. "But would you please just tell me what's going on?"

"Uh yeah, sure. Well, you see – I mean, it wasn't our fault. And I did _not_ do anything stupid. In fact, I didn't do anything – at least nothing more than usual – when it comes to a mission I mean. It was -" he paused. "Sam?"

This time Sam sighed. "What he's trying to say Dad, is that none of this is our fault. It just – happened. The General understood and – we're okay, really."

"Oh, for God's sake! What the hell happened? Just spit it out!"

Sam and Jack looked at each other, and then Jack nodded. He was the superior officer after all. He had a responsibility to handle the situation. He edged his chair a little farther away from Jacob and checked to make sure he had a clear path to the door. One could never be too careful, after all.

"Okay, fine. We went on a mission to some planet -"

"X3B 0RG," Sam interrupted.

"Yeah, that one." Jack took a deep breath. "We argued over whether to go left or right."

"You argued – why?" Jacob frowned.

"Oh, it was something to do. And it bugged Daniel," Jack grinned.

Jacob nodded at that. He too had been part of a team and he knew that they sometimes did silly things to keep up morale. "Okay. So which way _did_ you go?"

"Both ways," Jack replied, his face growing sober. "We split up because there didn't seem to be any danger."

"But you were wrong?" Jacob's eyebrows lifted.

"Oh yeah, but not in the way you're probably thinking. There were no Goa'uld or Jaffa – or any sentient being, as far as we found." Once more Jack took a breath. This time he looked over at Sam, who nodded in encouragement.

"We split up. Daniel and Teal'c went one way, Ca – ur – Sam and I went the other way. After a while we came upon a building."

"It looked like a temple," Sam interjected.

"It _was_ a temple," Jack pointed out. She simply nodded.

"Goa'uld?" Jacob asked.

"No – not as far as we could tell," his daughter answered. "And we still aren't sure what race built it. Daniel doesn't think it's anyone we've come across before."

"Thank God!" Jack interjected.

"So, what was in the temple?" Jacob wanted to know. He glanced between the two officers, although he did a double take at his daughter, who was suddenly looking very uncomfortable. "You weren't hurt?" he asked.

"Uh no – I – well, sort of," Jack answered. "At least, nothing permanent." At Sam's broken off exclamation he glanced at her and then grimaced. "I mean, it wasn't permanent for me – and only sort of for Sam."

"Sort of?" Jacob frowned and regarded his daughter closely. "Sam?"

"I'm fine Dad, really," she assured him.

Everyone was silent then, and it was only Jacob's tapping the table in front of him that got Jack talking again.

"We went inside the building," Jack continued, "until we got to this room."

"A room?" Jacob asked, his face showing his confusion at the whole story. "What was in it?"

"That's – well, it was kind of – different. There was art work on the wall and a big – piece of furniture in the middle."

"What kind of furniture."

"Oh, you know – just – furniture. And over that was this ball thing, like a disco ball. You remember those don't you Jacob? They were -"

"There was a _disco_ ball over some kind of unknown furniture?" Jacob interrupted, sounding even more confused.

"Oh, for heavens sake. There was a huge platform bed in the room and the object hanging over head was an alien orb of some kind," Sam explained.

"Do you know what it was for?" Sam's father asked.

"The bed, or the disco ball?" Jack wanted to know.

"I know what a bed is for, Jack," snapped Jacob. "I'm talking about the orb."

"Disco ball," Jack answered back, obstinately.

"Fine, disco ball. _Do you know what it was for?"_

"Yes," both Jack and Sam answered at the same time, and then went silent.

"So, what was it?"

"Sam, you're better at explaining technology than I am," Jack told her in relief.

"I don't think my father is particularly interested in the technology _Sir_ ," she scowled. "I think he wants to know what it did and you're better able to talk about that."

"Thanks," he told her sarcastically. "Fine! I was standing there watching Sam as she checked out the orb -"

"You _touched_ it?" Jacob asked, sounding shocked.

"Of course not," his daughter answered. "I was analyzing the EM readings that were coming from the orb with my monitor. The readings started to increase – but they were still within the acceptable range." Sam stopped speaking and looked again at Jack.

"And?" Jacob asked when the silence grew uncomfortable. "So the readings weren't dangerous – that's good. But clearly something happened then, so what was it?"

"The orb opened," Jack answered, "and a light shone on Carter. I rushed to get her out of the path of the light, but ended up being unable to move. Carter was in the same boat."

"What?" Jacob looked back and forth between them.

"We were both frozen?"

"You were frozen? For how long? What happened then?" Jacob was scowling and starting to look worried.

"Uh," Jack scratched his nose with his index finger. "Well, you see – we didn't know what we were doing."

"We were totally under the control of the orb," Sam quickly jumped in.

"That's right," Jack agreed. "Totally."

"Under the control – _what happened?"_

"Well, the orb – we figured this out later," Sam explained, "affected our endocrine system, increasing levels of endorphins and luteinizing hormones. It also increased the activity of the amygdala and the lateral orbito cortex while suppressing the prefrontal cortex."

Both Jacob and Jack were staring at Sam with almost identical looks of wonder and confusion. It was Jacob who finally shook his head, quickly, and held up his hand. "Sam, _stop_!"

Her voice faded and she squinted at her father. "What?"

"I have no idea what the hell you're saying. Could someone _please_ just tell me what happened to the two of you?" Jacob asked, almost in despair at this point.

"We had sex."

That bombshell stopped all conversation cold. Jacob stared at Jack and Sam stared at Jack, her mouth hanging open in surprise and shock.

Jacob blinked – once, twice, three times. "What?"

" _Jack!"_ Sam hissed. "For God's sake! Did you have to tell him like that?"

"Well all that talk of pre-lobotomy cortexes is just going to confuse him," he justified. "Look Jacob, the fact is, the damned alien disco ball sent our hormones into the stratosphere and suppressed any ability to use – uh self-control. We didn't _mean -_ "

"What did you say?" hissed Jacob, his eyes still on Jack.

The Colonel – he had to remind himself that he was a senior officer in the United States Air Force – was seriously contemplating bolting, Instead he sighed. "I said that the orb affected us both. Daniel says it was some kind of fertility temple that "helped" he said, using air quotes, "couples. It made us -"

Jacob interrupted softly. "Tell me you didn't just say what I thought you said,"

"He did Dad," Sam added, although she turned to Jack and again glared at him. "Although he could have phrased it much -"

"You had _sex_ with my daughter? You _took advantage of my daughter?"_

"Hey, didn't you hear what we said?" Jack defended himself. "I didn't take advantage of anyone! We had no way of controlling ourselves. The damn disco ball took advantage of _both_ of us."

Jacob surged out of his chair, looking like he was ready to attack O'Neill. Jack stood up quickly and backed up, not out of fear, but because the last thing he wanted to do was fight Sam's father (okay fine – so maybe there was a bit of fear in there – Tok'ra were _strong_ ).

"STOP IT!" Sam stepped in front of Jacob. _"Sit down_ ," she told him softly, "and stop acting like an idiot!"

Jacob glowered at his daughter, but then slowly sank back into his chair. Jack regarded him carefully and then sat back down as well.

"Now, are you going to listen to us?" Sam demanded of her father. "Or are you going to behave like a cave man."

"Is this true Sam?" Jacob whispered.

" _Dad!"_

"It is, isn't it?" Jacob continued to stare at the younger man seated across from him. "You bastard, you slept with my daughter!"

"Oh, for heavens sake Dad, _listen to me_!" Sam practically shouted. "The orb did something to us that affected our brain waves and hormones and we – uh what the Colonel said. But we were _not_ in control of ourselves. Look, we told you already, the Air Force isn't going to press charges because they know it wasn't our fault."

Jacob regarded the two of them with fury flashing from his eyes. Jack wondered what Sel'mak was doing right then. He kind of wished the snake would came out and take over.

"Jacob is naturally upset," Sel'mak informed them, looking between Jack and Sam. "I am attempting to calm him down."

"You go Sel'mak," Jack murmured softly. He winced when he realized it wasn't soft enough as two Carters (and one snake) turned and stared at him. "Hey – maybe you can talk some sense into him!"

"I doubt that Colonel O'Neill," Sel'mak answered. "I do not believe that Jacob is capable of being sensible over this. However, I will ensure that he doesn't harm you."

"Thanks," Jack answered with an eye roll. "So, is he ready to talk to us rationally?"

There was a brief moment, as the snake conferred with Jacob. Then there was the usual head bow/passing of the baton back to the human, and Jacob lifted his head and stared at Jack.

"Sel'mak convinced me not to kill you."

"Thank you Sel'mak", Jack acknowledged, although he sounded angry. "Although why the hell you want to kill me is beyond me. Do you _honestly_ think I would have harmed your daughter in any way, shape or form? I respect Carter more than anyone I know and I would _never_ do anything to hurt her. And the fact is, Jacob, I resent you behaving like I'm some kind of rapist! We told you – it was a result of an alien object. _It was not our fault!"_

Jacob seemed to deflate before their very eyes, and rested back in his chair. He closed his eyes, took a few deep breaths, and then opened them again.

"Okay – I still don't like that you – but okay, I believe you," he sighed. "And you're really not going to get in trouble with the Air Force?"

"No. They know it was out of our control."

"But it's still going to affect your careers – Sam's especially," her father sighed. "You can't tell anyone outside of program that it was alien intervention."

"Of course Jacob. We know that. Believe me, it's not an idea situation, but there's nothing we can do now but make the best of it." There was a pause and Jack looked over at Sam. "Uh, there's something else we have to tell you."

"What?" Jacob glowered. "What could _possibly_ be worse than you and Sam -?"

"Well. Sam I think you'd better tell him." Jack said, not because he was a coward, but because that's something a daughter _should_ tell her father (and he was sticking to that).

"Dad," Sam stopped and took a deep breath. "We told you that Daniel thought it was some kind of fertility temple."

"Yes," Jacob said, his expression arrested. "So?"

"So, it worked."

"What?" he frowned. "What do you – oh my _God_! You don't mean to tell me -?"

"Yes, I'm afraid so. I'm pregnant."

Jacob's eyes flashed and he looked as if he was going to surge out of his chair again, but a moment later his eyes closed. Jack supposed it was Sel'mak exercising control and keeping the former General from doing something all of them would regret

"Of course you are," Jacob finally sighed. "Why would I possibly think things couldn't get worse when O'Neill was involved."

"Hey," Jack exclaimed. "You're back to blaming me? It was the damned disco ball. It futzed with our hormones – probably Carter's hormones. We were as shocked as you."

Jacob took another deep breath and sat for a moment, clearing thinking about all he'd been told. "I know – I know it's not your fault. It's just that this is -"

"Totally FUBAR. We know," Jack nodded, glancing at Sam.

"Sam?" her father turned and looked at her. "You're keeping the baby?"

"Yes," she answered directly.

He nodded. "Okay, so what are the two of you going to do?" he asked them both. Instead of an immediate answer he received two blank stares, causing him to frown. "Sam? Jack? What are your plans?"

Jack licked his lips. "Uh – I'm going to support Carter, of course. I'll be there for her."

"Right," Sam nodded. "He's been really supportive."

"That's good," Jacob's eyes travelled back and forth between them. "But what does that _mean_? What exactly are you going to do? Are you going to be going through the Gate afterward?" he asked his daughter. "And Jack, _how_ will you be there for her?"

"Uh – I don't – I mean, in whatever way she needs me." Jack answered, starting to sweat.

"In whatever -" Jacob stopped and looked incredulously between the two people staring at him with "deer in the headlight" looks. " How far along are you Sam?"

"Four – almost five months," she said softly.

"Four _months!_ " her father snapped. "Have you even _talked_ about what's going to happen?"

Jack sat frozen, although he wanted to look at Sam. Instead he cleared his throat. "Uh – I was – I mean we were just going to when you arrived."

Jacob shook his head and stood slowly. "I can't believe you two! I'm going to go and talk to George now because frankly – I still feel like I want to shoot you Jack. I suggest the two of you _talk_ and figure this out." He moved to the doorway and then stopped and turned. "And if you _do_ ever hurt her Jack – I will kill you." With that he opened the door and left.

"That went well," Jack stated calmly.

Sam just snorted.


	14. Conversations

_**Two chapters in two days - aren't you proud of me! In case anyone missed it, I did an "oops" in the last chapter (uploaded an older version). I have since gone back and edited it - so you might want to go back and check it out. Tx**_

"So," he said.

"So," she replied.

He scowled.

She sighed.

They were getting nowhere, again.

This time he sighed.

She scowled.

And then he laughed, causing her to scowl even harder.

"We're a pair Sam," he finally said.

"Sir?"

"Not "Sir" – this is a Jack conversation – Sam."

"Okay," she answered, a small grin trying desperately to escape. "My father can be an ass," she admitted.

"Mmm hmm," he agreed, and then grimaced as the escaping grin on her face began to retreat. "But then, so can I." There – the grin started to come back. "And I can't really blame him for being upset. I'm sure I'd act the same if it were my daughter. Although I do wish he'd stop threatening me with death. It gets a bit tiresome."

"Yeah. I'll talk to him about that."

"Thanks."

"So," he said a few seconds later.

"So," she replied.

He sighed. "Enough. Your father was right. We need to talk."

"Okay," she agreed. "About what?"

" _Sam?"_

She giggled. "I'm sorry S- Jack. I couldn't resist. We do have to talk, but I'm not sure what to say."

"That's the problem, isn't it? It's hard to make plans when -"

"When?"

"When we don't really know what the other person wants," he said, for once being totally honest.

"Yeah," she nodded but then looked down at her hands, which were clasped tightly together. "Maybe we should – tell each other – what we want, I mean."

There was a pause and then he spoke. "Okay. Uh – you go first."

" _Jack_! That's not fair. You're the senior officer," she smirked. "You should set an example and take the lead."

"Or I could delegate and tell you to lead," he pointed out. "And anyway, I already said this isn't a Colonel/Major conversation – it's a Jack/Sam one."

"Alright – but I still think you should go first."

"Fine! I'll go first but I want you to know that I deserve something special for this. You're going to have to cook for a week!"

"That's fair," she smiled, although he could clearly see the fear in her eyes. He wondered if she could see it in his.

"So, you want me to tell you what I want?"

"I think that's best Jack."

"Okay fine. The problem is – I don't really know. I mean – yes, I do know, but I don't know if it's the right thing. I mean, it could be a big mistake and we _can't_ make a mistake, not about this. There's a child involved and I really -" He stopped and took a breath and looked at her directly. "I screwed up once and lost my son and my marriage," he told her bluntly. "And after that I promised myself I'd never put myself in the position where I could do that again. But – because of that alien thing I _am_ in that position – at least there's a child involved and -"

"And?"

"And there's you," he said softly. "Sam, you have to know how I feel about you. We admitted our feelings – sort of – after the Zatarc episode but we agreed not to do anything about them. We _couldn't_ do anything, not if we wanted to keep our careers. But now – things have changed – at least the situation has changed, but not my feelings for you," he finally admitted

"Mine either," she answered quietly.

He sucked in a quick breath – "really?"

"Yes," she nodded, "but -"

"That's it," he agreed, "the _but_. Sam I – care for you and the time on that planet – well, I still dream about it. But I don't have any idea if a relationship between us would even work. Our relationship -"

"I know. It's kind of messed up," she smiled. "You're my CO and I don't – I care for you too, but everything is strange. I keep wondering if we had a regular life – 9:00 to 5:00 jobs, a house with a white picket fence, barbeques with the neighbors – would we still feel the same about each other. Is it because we do what we do, because we're thrown together that we – feel this way?"

He nodded and gave a crooked grin. "Yeah – exactly."

"But as you said, there's a child – _our_ child. We can't forget that."

"I'm not." He took a deep breath and let it out slowly. "So I have an idea."

"What?"

"Why don't we – date. Let's get to know each other outside of our roles here. We'll start from the beginning – pretend we don't have – feelings, that we didn't have sex and you're not pregnant. Let's meet as Jack and Sam, two people who are attracted to one another and want to see where it leads."

"And if it doesn't lead anywhere?" she asked somberly.

"Then we'll stay friends and we'll make sure that we put our child first. I don't want to ever lose you Sam – you're the mother of my child. So whatever happens, we've got to promise ourselves we'll be okay."

She let out a slow huff of breath and then nodded. "Okay, I'm willing to do this, although for the record – I _don't_ think it's just because we're teammates or because we travel the galaxy together. You're a person I admire and – like. But I agree, we need to know for sure." She frowned, thinking. "Uh, what about Daniel and Teal'c – and oh God, my father. What do we say to them?"

"We don't need to tell them anything. This is between us. We're going to start dating to get to know one another – and they can just butt out."

She grimaced. "Daniel? Butt out?"

Jack laughed. "I'll threaten him with death."

"Won't work," she answered with a grin.

"Then I'll threaten his artifacts and books."

"Oh – evil! That _will_ work. And my father?"

"I'll enlist Sel'mak. I'm sure she'll want to help us."

She snorted. "Dad is going to love that! But I think it might just work. So – we're going to start going together, are we?"

"That sounds like we're 16," he grinned. "But yes, we're going to go together."

"I'll expect flowers," she told him.

"Fine, I'll get you flowers."

"And being taken out for fancy meals."

"Okay," he rolled his eyes.

"And jewelry – a girl needs jewelry."

"Geesh – you were easier as my 2IC, Carter," he complained.

"I had to listen to you as your 2IC – now you have to make me happy!" she informed him with a saucy grin.

He laughed and stood up. He then walked over to her and held out his hand. "I couldn't help seeing you sit here all alone," he told her. "and I wondered if you would like to join me for a drink?"

She stared at him in confusion for a couple of seconds but then her expression changed and a wicked gleam appeared in her eyes. "Sorry, no," she told him. "I'm waiting for someone."

He started at that and looked at her in confusion. "What?"

"I have a blind date," she told him. "I'm meeting a handsome, smart, funny Air Force officer by the name of Jack. My friend Daniel set us up. So you see, I wouldn't want to miss meeting him by hanging out with another man."

His face cleared and laugh lines appeared at the corner of his eyes, although he didn't smile. "Well then, this is your lucky day." He reached his hand out again. "Let me introduce myself. Jack O'Neill, Colonel in the United States Air Force and friend of one Dr. Daniel Jackson. I think I'm your blind date."

This time she took his hand and shook it. "Lovely to meet you," she smiled. "And Daniel was right."

"Mmm – yes he was," Jack murmured, staring intently at her. "Beautiful, smart, charming – and slightly wicked. I think I'm going to enjoy getting to know you."

She smiled, but the smile turned to laughter when he pulled her up out of her chair. She looked at him enquiringly. "Uh Sir – I mean Jack. What are you doing?"

"I'd like you to join me for a drink," he told her. "Will you come with me?"

"As long as I'll be safe?" she asked suspiciously.

"Of course you'll be safe – unless there are any disco balls hanging around," he looked around just in case. "Darn, none in sight!" (which made her laugh). "So you see – you're safe. Are you coming Ms. Carter?"

"Yes Mr. O'Neill, I'd like to go for a drink with you. May I ask where you're taking me? I assume it's some place special?"

"To the finest dining establishment in this mountain," he informed her, gently leading her out of the Briefing Room. "Chez Commissary."

"My, you certainly know how to treat a girl right!" she exclaimed.

They kept up the pretense all the way to the Commissary, laughing the whole way. When they arrived Jack insisted that Sam sit down while he went to "order" their drink.

"Hungry?" he asked her as he turned towards the food counter.

"Always," she answered. "Just get me a bagel or muffin or something."

Jack was grinning as he walked to the counter. He'd been nervous about this whole thing, but was feeling better now that they were on the same page – and now that they were _officially_ dating. He wondered idly how many dates they had to have before he could kiss her passionately. Probably by the second one, he thought to himself. And then there was sex –

* * *

"Hey Jack!"

"Daniel!" Of _course_ the archaeologist would show up.

"Whatcha doing?"

"Getting a drink and something to eat for Sam and me."

"Oh good – I'll join you."

"No you won't," Jack said calmly, grabbing a cherry turnover for Sam.

"What?"

"No, you won't join us. Carter and I are having a – private – conversation."

"In the _Commissary_?"

"Yup."

"You're kidding, right?"

"Do I look like I'm kidding, Daniel?"

"Well, no – but you never talk about confidential work stuff in the Commissary!"

"Who said anything about "work stuff"? All I said was that it was a _private_ conversation."

"Oh." Daniel stopped and stared at his friend. "You mean like a _personal_ conversation?"

"Yes, that's exactly what I mean."

"But -"

"But what?"

"But you and Sam _never_ have personal conversations," Daniel pointed out. "In fact you're known for not talking about important stuff. I mean, you guys have a whole _herd_ of elephants in any rooms you're in."

Jack turned and lifted his eyebrow at the younger man. "Really Daniel?"

"Yeah! So, what are you going to talk about?"

"Daniel, you're a smart man, so if you don't know it already, the definition of _private_ can be found in the dictionary, or on line."

"I know what _private_ means Jack," Daniel said in disgust. "But – hey, are you talking about the baby?" He suddenly frowned. "I heard Jacob is here. Oh my God – did you see him? Does he know?"

By this time Jack had finished gathering up the food and drinks on his tray. He stopped once more and regarded his friend seriously. "Daniel, I know that you're really not as clueless as you sometimes like to make out. But just in case, listen carefully. I am going to take this tray over to the table with Sam. I am then going to sit down and she and I are going to have a private – A.K.A. – _none of your business_ – conversation. You will not bug us. You will not come over and sit with us. You will not ask me questions about what we are going to discuss. You will not look as if I've just kicked a puppy. You _will_ say, "nice to see you Jack. Say hi to Sam and enjoy your _private_ conversation." He stopped. "Did you get that?"

Daniel rolled his eyes and placed his coffee on his tray. "Yes Jack," he answered. "You don't need to be sarcastic you know. I do get it!" With that he turned around and walked to a table in the opposite direction and sat down.

Jack sighed and headed towards the table where Sam still sat, patiently waiting.

"What was that about?" she asked.

"Oh, you know Daniel," was all he said.

She nodded. "He was going to come and join us and didn't understand that we wanted to be alone," she told him matter-of-factly.

"Bingo," he grinned.

"Poor man," she said. "He's now dying to know what's going on."

"Yes he is, isn't he," Jack answered with a devilish grin. "Here's to Daniel!" he lifted his cup of coffee and clinked it with Sam's glass of juice. He glanced over at his friend, now sulking in the corner and laughed softly. He then turned back to his – hell, his girlfriend. "So Sam, tell me, what kind of music do you like?"

* * *

Daniel was irritated, although it was as much at himself as it was at his friends. He knew the two of them had a lot to deal with, and it wasn't too much for Jack to ask for a bit of privacy – but why couldn't they take their conversations off base?

He stirred his coffee and tried not to look over at his friends and read their lips. He was _dying_ of curiosity. What the hell was going on with them?

"May I join you Daniel Jackson?"

Teal'c's voice startled him, as he hadn't even seen the alien man approach. "Oh – of course Teal'c. Sorry, I didn't see you."

"No. You were peering too closely at O'Neill and Major Carter."

"Yeah," Daniel sighed.

"For what reason were you staring at them?" Teal'c asked.

"I wasn't staring -" he stopped suddenly. "Oh God! I was, wasn't I?"

"It does not matter," Teal'c, the ever-wise Jaffa responded. "However I am curious to know _why_ you did not join them, but are sitting here attempting to discover what they are saying."

"Jack told me he didn't want me."

"O'Neill _told_ you that?" Teal'c asked in surprise.

"Yeah. He and Sam are having some kind of private conversation and I wasn't invited. He wouldn't even tell me what it was about."

"But does not _private_ mean that -"

"I know, I know," Daniel waved his hand at Teal'c. "But still, would it have hurt to give me a hint?"

"Why should you have a hint, Daniel Jackson?" Teal'c wanted to know. "I expect they must discuss all the things related to having a child together. You should ignore them and lead your own life."

"Is that what you do?" Daniel asked.

Teal'c paused, refusing to look at his friend and teammate.

"Teal'c?"

"I find it difficult to ignore O'Neill," he admitted. "However, in this instance I believe it is imperative. They must find their own way – and they must have privacy in which to discover their true feelings and ways of being together. We must not interfere."

Daniel sighed and pushed up his glasses. "Yeah – okay, although I'd still like to know what they're talking about!"

"I am certain it is something of great importance," Teal'c said, before turning his attention to his pie.

* * *

"You didn't!" Sam exclaimed.

"Mmm hmm. And it looked good if I do say so myself!"

"I really can't picture you with long hair Jack."

"Well, it was the Hippy generation. No one wore short hair unless you were a geek."

"Or in the military!" she pointed out.

"Yeah," he sighed. "I really hated to cut it all off when I signed up. My friends teased me unmercifully."

"Well, at least you can be glad of one thing."

"What's that?"

"You never wore a mullet!"


	15. Dinner for Two

_**Just a short chapter tonight folks – something to give you to hold you over. Enjoy!**_

Jack stood outside her door, feeling uncharacteristically nervous. He shrugged his shoulders, trying to get comfortable. It had been a long time since he'd worn a suit.

The door opened and there she stood, framed in the soft light from her hallway. He caught his breath. He knew she was beautiful – had noticed it the first time he'd seen her. But tonight – tonight she was radiant. He was the luckiest man in the world.

"Hi," she said softly.

"Hi," he smiled. "You look – gorgeous," he told her, his voice slightly shaky.

She seemed not to notice, but instead simply told him - "thank you," and then her lips curled up slowly, in a very knowing smile. She then looked him up and down, quite blatantly. "And you look incredibly sexy. You should always wear black."

He was glad it was dark out, because he was pretty sure he flushed (he would not admit to blushing). He wasn't used to receiving such open compliments – at least not from her.

They had been officially "dating" all week, but since they had been working during that time it hadn't meant much more than having coffee together (okay – breakfast, lunch, dinner and coffee) – but tonight was different. Tonight was Friday and he was taking her out to a fancy restaurant for a special evening, just the two of them.

"Here," he said, stepping into her house and handing her the bouquet of flowers he'd bought. As she took the red roses and held them up to her face to smell them, he thought that they didn't do her justice – not that anything could.

"They're beautiful, thank you Jack," she said sincerely. "Let me put them in a vase."

He watched as she walked away from him and had to take a few deep breaths so as not to disgrace himself. God – she was magnificent! She was wearing a simple black dress, a very _short_ black dress, with a cut-out back. Even though you could see her small baby belly in the front, it actually added to the sexiness of the dress. And then there were her legs – her legs that went on forever and ended in stiletto heels. He was pretty sure he'd died and gone to heaven.

He looked down at himself and suddenly wished he were ten years younger. He knew he was looking good - he was wearing all black – which Sara had told him years ago made him look really sexy. Sam seemed to agree. But still, he felt a bit uncomfortable knowing that Sam could have her pick of men and she'd actually chosen him.

He pulled at his collar, feeling very hot all of a sudden. He was pretty sure it was a combination of Sam's black dress and his own nervousness.

"There," she said, putting the flowers on her hall table. "That way I'll see them every time I come home. It was really sweet of you Jack."

"I'm just a sweet kind of guy," he grinned.

"Sure you are," she rolled her eyes. "That's what all those System Lords say."

"Hey – that's during work hours. At work I'm a bad-ass Colonel – at home I'm a puddy-tat."

She laughed. "Well Mr. Puddy-Tat – shall we go?"

* * *

"This is amazing!" she sighed as she dug her fork into the luscious looking pasta. "How did you find this place?"

"You don't think this is one of my normal haunts?" he asked with a raised brow.

She shook her head, her mouth full of pasta. "No," she finally replied, "because if it was you'd weigh three hundred pounds!"

He looked down at his plate, and couldn't disagree. "We'll wear it off on the dance floor."

"There's _dancing_?" she asked, her eyes gleaming.

"Yeah – that's okay, isn't it? I thought it might be nice to -"

"It's _wonderful_ ," she interrupted. "I love dancing and I haven't been for – well – years."

"Well then Ms. Carter, you're in for a treat. We shall dance the night away."

And that's exactly what they did. Jack knew he was a good dancer – it was something he and Sara had done a lot and he'd had many years of practice. She had even dragged him to ballroom dancing classes, which he's secretly enjoyed, even though he'd complained about them at the time.

Sam was also a good dancer and a wonderful partner. He kind of figured that their years serving together helped them read one another's moves, which helped on the dance floor as much as it did in the field.

"This is wonderful Jack," Sam murmured into his shoulder. "Thank you for bringing me."

"It's my pleasure," he said softly in his ear. They were doing a slow dance together – and he was reveling in her closeness. "Are you getting tired?" he asked then. They'd been on their feet for a long time.

"Mmm," she said, not committing to an answer.

Jack immediately knew that she was, although she was probably like him and didn't want to stop. Still, he had a responsibility to look after her. He waited until the end of the dance and then –

"Come on, let's get you home and to bed!" He led her off the dance floor, and then stopped.

"Uh, I didn't mean that the way it came out."

She laughed. "No? Too bad.

" _Sam_!"

"Sorry, couldn't help myself," she told him. "But I am rather tired."

By the time they arrived at her house she was practically asleep and he suddenly felt bad for keeping her out so –

"I'm fine," she told him softly. "Don't start feeling guilty. Actually, I feel wonderful – sleepy and relaxed. And the dancing did help wear off all that wonderful food."

"Yeah, I'm afraid I wouldn't have been able to sleep after that meal! Come on, let's get you inside."

He walked her to her front door, which she opened. "Want to come in?" she asked.

He sighed. "Yes, but I don't think I'd better. You're tired and – you're really, really sexy. I think I'd better go home and take a cold shower and get to bed."

She laughed and leaned over and kissed him on the cheek. "Thank you for a wonderful evening. I haven't enjoyed anything so much in a long time – a long, long time – never in fact."

He looked down at her, seriously, for all of ten seconds and then he shook his head. "I'm being good and not coming in," he told her, "but that means I deserve _much_ more than a peck on the cheek."

"Really?" she said, sounding slightly breathless, although she was still smiling.

"Oh yeah – really." He reached up with his hand and gently grasped her chin. He then leaned forward, watching her carefully with his eyes. As he neared her lips he saw her eyes slowly close – and he allowed his to follow suit. When his lips touched hers he couldn't help but let out a small sigh. Yes!

The kiss went on for a long, long time – and was deep and passionate and the best thing ever. Jack decided there and then that he would die a happy man if he could continue to kiss Carter – _Sam_.

When he finally pulled back it was only because he needed a serious amount of oxygen before he passed out. He leaned forward until their foreheads were touching. "Thank you," he said softly.

"Mmm – thank _you_ ," she repeated. "That was -"

"Was?"

"Amazing. Wonderful. Fantastic. Delightful. – Oh, and a hundred other adjectives that I can't remember right now."

"No – can't remember them?"

"Nope. You'll have to kiss me again to help me remember."

"I can do that," he said, his lips so close to hers that they were sharing breath. He leaned in and kissed her again.

"Sam – I think I'd better go," he said, after a long time spent on her front step, kissing passionately.

"Okay," she agreed reluctantly. "You're sure you don't want to come in?"

"No – I _want_ to come in, but I know I can't. Way, _way_ too dangerous."

She let out a small chuckle and stood back, releasing him from her immediate touch and giving him the space to get his emotions (and other things) under control.

"Okay – I understand. Drive safely."

"Always," he told her, which caused her to roll her eyes. "Wanna do something tomorrow?" he asked her abruptly.

"Yes, although I'm supposed to do laundry in the morning."

"Mah," he exclaimed, "Just don't. Nothing bad is going to happen if you leave it."

"I guess," she answered with a sigh. "Although I'll come back to dirty laundry."

"You have to live a little, do you know that? I'll pick you up at 10:00 o'clock. Be ready!"

"Since when have I _not_ been ready Jack," she told him. "I've never been late on any mission."

"I know," he frowned and walked to the door. "It's kinda creepy Sam. You should make yourself be late once in a while. It would make everyone much happier. Good night – I love you!"

She stared at her door long after Jack was gone. Had he really said that? Finally, when she was able to make her way upstairs to bed, she was pretty sure that she floated. She was positive her feet did not touch the ground.

Jack grinned all the way to his car and then all the way home. Part of him wished he'd taken her up on her offer, but the sensible part knew this was much smarter. He was romancing Samantha Carter and he was having the time of his life. He thought back to her face when he told her he loved her and couldn't help but laugh out loud. Poor thing – she looked as if she'd been hit with a zat.

He began to whistle. Part one of his battle plan was in progress. Now on to Phase 2.


	16. Friends

_**Another short one - done this morning before getting up to go to work. I hope you all appreciate the extreme sacrifice! And thank you all for your amazing reviews!**_

"Hey Jack, how are things going?" Daniel plunked himself in the chair opposite Jack's desk.

"Good," the Colonel answered, sounding distracted, his attention on the papers in front of him.

"Good, that's good." Daniel sat quietly, glancing around the office. It was rare for him to be here, probably as rare as it was for Jack, he grinned to himself. The room was sparse, although there were a few pictures, including one of Jack's son, Charlie. There was also a signed baseball on his desk and a small model airplane. He wondered where that came from.

Jack sighed and put his pen down. "Is there something you needed Daniel? I am trying to work here."

"Oh. Uh – no – I mean yes."

"So what is it?" the Colonel asked after a lengthy pause.

"What is what?" Daniel frowned and leaned forward in his chair.

"You said you needed something. I'm asking what that is."

"Oh. Yeah – well, I guess I don't really _need_ anything." He was silent again, his eyes focused on the papers on Jack's desk. "Whatcha doing?"

"What does it _look_ like I'm doing? Paperwork. I have to read and sign some evaluation forms."

"You actually do that?"

"Of course I do," Jack scowled. "It's part of my job."

"I thought you didn't like paperwork."

"I don't, that doesn't mean I don't do it. Now what did you _need_ Daniel?"

"Nothing," the younger man shrugged. "I just haven't seen you in the last couple of weeks and I wanted to come by and make sure you were okay."

"I saw you yesterday," Jack pointed out. "We were in a briefing together."

"I know. I mean I haven't seen you outside of work."

"Oh, yeah. Well, I've been busy," Jack looked down and started to write again.

"Jack?"

"Daniel?" Jack answered sarcastically. "What is it you want?"

"Mmm – have you seen Sam?"

"Yes."

"Really?"

"Yes really. She was also in the briefing – with you, me and Teal'c."

"I know _that_! I meant – have you seen her – you know, somewhere else?"

"I saw her in the Commissary and I believe I passed her in the hallway this morning. Anything else you need to know."

" _Jack!_ "

"Daniel – we've been there already. _What is it you want_?"

"I want to know what's going on with you and Sam!" Daniel snapped, obviously losing his patience.

"Well then, why didn't you just say so?"

The linguist, with knowledge of multiple languages, including a few alien ones, lost all ability to speak and simply growled. There was a pause, as Jack kept writing –trying to suppress a grin. Daniel finally managed to speak.

"Because you won't answer me directly."

"Well, you didn't ask – directly," Jack pointed out.

"Okay, fine! What is going on between you and Sam?"

"Nothing."

"What?"

"Nothing. You asked what's going on and I told you. Now, is there anything else you need?"

"Don't say "nothing," Daniel snapped. "It's obvious _something_ is going on. Even Teal'c has noticed it."

"I wouldn't say _even_ Teal'c," Jack pointed out calmly. "Teal'c is usually the first one to notice things – although in this case there's nothing to notice."

"Are you kidding? You and Sam eat together every day and I see you -"

"Yes, you see me – what Daniel?"

"Smiling!"

"A smile. Yes, that would certainly suggest that something underhanded and sneaky is going on. What the hell, Jackson! What does me smiling have to do with anything?"

"You don't – smile that is. At least not very often."

"I do too. I may not smile when we're on a mission – but why should I smile when getting shot at or worse on some alien planet – and then there are the trees, the ever-present _trees_! They definitely keep me from smiling. Nope, I don't want to smile very often on other planets. Now, there was that planet, what was the name of it – you know, the one where the women dressed in little bitsy -"

" _Jack_! Stop it! Teal'c and I know something is going on between the two of you and there's no point in you trying to deny it."

"Okay."

"Okay _what_?"

"Okay, I won't deny it."

"So there _is_ something going on?"

"I didn't say that. You just told me to not deny it, so I won't. It doesn't mean I'm _admitting_ anything though."

Daniel stood up, a deep scowl lining his otherwise handsome face. He walked calmly to the door and then turned. "Sometimes you can be a real ass Jack, you know that?"

"I think it's actually Jack _ass_ Daniel," he pointed out. "And yes, I know. Now is there anything else you'd like?"

"No. And I'm going to go and see Sam now. She's a lot nicer than you are."

"Yes she is. Have a good day Daniel."

"Screw you Jack," the other man said calmly as he left.

Jack bent his head to his work, a grin lining his face.

"Hey Sam," Daniel poked his head around the door, to find Sam with her nose buried deep inside an experiment. "Whatcha up to?"

"Mmm – I'm testing the thermal properties of the coating on this object that Sg5 brought back," she murmured. "It appears to be an alloy – not naquada, although the object itself seems to be almost pure naquada. I'm not sure what -" her voice faded as she leaned over the oblong shaped item and gently scratched the surface with her nail.

"Oh. So, you have a few minutes to talk?"

Sam slowly lifted her head and looked at her friend. "Well – I'm kind of in the middle of this. Is it important?"

"No – yes – well, I won't take long."

"Okay," she sighed and set the alien piece down. "What is it?"

"Uh – so how have you been doing?"

She frowned. "Fine."

"Okay."

There was a pause. "Daniel, what is it you needed? I do have to get back to this. Dr. Lee is waiting for the results."

"Yeah – well. I just wondered - you know – what you've been doing. I haven't seen you for awhile."

"I've been busy working. Is this what you needed to talk to me about? Because if it is, can it wait until later?"

"Well you see, that's the thing," he suddenly looked frustrated. "I don't know when "later" is going to be. I have barely seen you, except in briefings, for the last two weeks. It feels like you're avoiding me. And Teal'c feels the same."

"He does?" she asked in surprise. She pushed her chair back from her lab table and swiveled to face her friend. "I'm sorry – I haven't been meaning to avoid either of you. I've just been busy – oh, and a bit tired."

"The pregnancy?"

"I guess," she nodded, "although I feel good."

"Good – that's good. I – we just miss you Sam."

"Ah, that's sweet Daniel. Look, why don't we meet for lunch later, in the Commissary? Tell Teal'c and the Colonel and we can all have lunch as a team."

"Sure." He stood there for a few seconds, biting his lip. "The thing is Sam – we were wondering-"

"What? And who's "we"?"

"Teal'c and me."

"Okay – so what were you wondering?"

"About you and Jack," he rushed out.

"About – what about us?" she asked innocently, turning back around and picking up the alien object.

"What's going on with you two?"

"Going _on_? Why nothing. We're friends."

" _Friends_! Sam, you're having his baby!"

"Really?" she turned around quickly and glared at him. "I didn't know Daniel. Thanks for telling me!"

"Oh come on Sam! You know – hell, would you _talk_ to me! Teal'c and I don't know anything and it's driving us crazy. We worry about you!"

"Really? This is about "worry," she did air quotes. "Personally I think it's about nosiness! You just can't stand not knowing what's going on! Well frankly, it's not your business."

Daniel looked incredibly hurt at that and pushed up his glasses. "Fine," he sighed. He made his way to the door. "We just – we care about you Sam, but if you think that's nosiness then – well, I guess we'll just stay out of your business. I mean, we wouldn't want to _interfere_ or anything. It's not like we're friends."

"Ah hell!" Sam stood up abruptly and walked over to Daniel, grabbing his arm and pulling him back to face her. "Of course you're my friend. And we're not trying to keep anything from you – okay, yes, we are. It's just that we'd like some space – can you understand that? We're – figuring things out – and we don't need anyone, and that includes you and Teal'c – interfering or offering unwanted advice or teasing us or – or anything."

"You're figuring it out?" Daniel's eyes gleamed as he grabbed on to that one thing. "Really? Does that mean -"

"It means it's our business, Daniel. It means that if you're our friend – you will let it go and let us do what we need to do without interfering. Can you do that?"

"Uh – but Sam," he whined.

"Daniel – please, as my friend? Can you not just – butt out – for a while? We'll tell you when there's something to say – we promise."

Daniel sighed. "Okay, fine. But can I at least tell Teal'c?"

"Uh," she frowned. "Tell him what?"

"That you're figuring it out?"

"Oh – that. Yes, you can tell him. But please don't say anything to anyone else."

"Okay," he grinned. "I won't." He leaned down and kissed Sam on the cheek. "This is great Sam! I won't say anything, I promise – but I'm rooting for both of you!"

With a grin on his face he left her in peace. Shaking her head, she made her way back to her table and resumed working. Some people are strange, was her last thought before she once again became absorbed in alien metals.

Daniel made his way to Teal'c's room and knocked on the door.

"Come," Teal'c's deep voice replied.

Daniel opened the door and stuck his head in. "Their figuring it out. We're not to say anything."

Teal'c bowed his head in a brief nod. "Then I shall not."

"Good," Daniel grinned and waved and then shut the door. Now for his next stop.

"Jack?" This time he stuck his head in Jack's office. "I just talked to Sam."

"That's good Daniel. Was she nicer than me?" the Colonel asked sarcastically, not raising his head from his papers.

"Yeah. She's always nicer than you. She told me."

"Told you what, Daniel?" the Colonel lifted his head, his eyebrows raised in inquiry.

"That you're figuring things out."

"Oh. Yes. Well now you know."

"Right," Daniel grinned. "I won't say anything, and neither will Teal'c."

"Thanks for letting me know. Now, was there anything else?"

"Nope. I'll leave you to your work."

"I can't tell you how much I appreciate that," O'Neill said as he once again resumed his work. "Don't let the door hit your ass on the way out," he muttered softly to himself.

"See ya later Jack!" Daniel smiled and waved and was gone.

Jack set his pen down and leaned back and sighed. With a soft chuckle he shook his head. He thought of Daniel and Teal'c – and Sam – and realized again what a lucky man he was.


	17. Saying I love you

_**Sigh! No excuses - I'm just sorry this is taking so long.**_

He'd told her he loved her and she still hadn't said anything to him. What was _wrong_ with her?

She sighed and stared at the screen in front of her. Things had been great. She and Jack were "dating" and spending all their free time together. They laughed, they cuddled, they even _talked_ – not just about day-to-day things, but also about serious things. He'd begun to open up to her in ways she would never have expected. He'd always been the strong, silent type, so the fact that he'd begun to speak about personal things – and sometimes even about _feelings_ both surprised and pleased her.

So why couldn't she just tell him? She loved him, of course she did. She'd loved him for a long, long time.

That thought stopped her and she considered it carefully. After a moment she changed her mind. No, she'd been _in_ love with him for many years – a combination of hero worship, familiarity and sexual tension had all combined to give her many sleepless nights and quite a few fantasies. It was only recently that she had begun to truly love him. It was no longer just infatuation and lust – it was true, deep caring and love.

 _So tell him!_

She wanted to bang her head on the table in front of her. What the _hell_ was wrong with her?

"Hey, what's wrong Sam?"

She wondered for a moment if it was her own mind talking and jerked in surprise. A moment later she realized that Daniel was standing in her doorway looking at her curiously. Shaking her head to try and clear her thoughts, she turned to face him.

"Uh – hi Daniel."

He frowned at her. "Are you okay?"

"Yeah, I'm fine," she sighed.

"Liar," he said calmly. He then pulled up a chair and faced her. "Spill."

" _Daniel_ ," she laughed uncomfortably. "I told you, everything is fine."

"I know you did – and I told you you're lying. So, tell me the truth, what's wrong." Suddenly his brows descended. "Hey – there isn't a problem between you and Jack is there?"

"No," she answered, sounding annoyed. "Everything's fine – great even. Daniel, I'm ok -"

He held up his hand. "Don't say it. Look, if you don't want to confide in me, that's your business. But please don't lie Sam. It's obvious that something's going on." Daniel sighed and stood up. "Look, if you need to talk," he stopped and shook his head, "but you won't so -"

"Oh sit down," she interrupted grouchily. "Fine – I'll tell you."

He sat slowly, his eyes intent on her face. "Uh, you don't have to if you don't want to."

She rolled her eyes. "Right. And then you'll look at me with those hurt, puppy dog eyes every time I see you."

"Hey, I don't do that!" he defended.

"Yes you do. And anyway, I do need some advice."

"Really?" Daniel pulled the chair closer, looking pleased, although he was trying to hide it. "What is it?"

Sam regarded her friend for a few moments. _Should_ she ask him? Daniel would love to give her advice, especially about her relationship with Jack. She knew he'd been going crazy not being in the know, although to give him his due, he'd been gracious about the whole thing. Since the day she'd spoken to him and asked him to give them some space, he'd stayed completely out of their business. He hadn't asked any more questions, hadn't teased them, hadn't referred to it once. He'd been a very good friend. It had to have driven him crazy.

"Jack told me he loved me," she blurted suddenly.

Daniel blinked – his face not changing expression. A few seconds later he spoke. "He what?"

"He told me he loved me."

A slow grin began to appear on Daniel's face until it grew so large Sam was afraid his face would split.

"I can't believe it! He actually _said_ it! Oh, good for you Jack!" Daniel slapped his hand on his knee. "He said it –Jack O'Neill! Wow Sam, that's amazing."

She nodded.

It was only then that Daniel seemed to notice that Sam wasn't looking particularly happy. He frowned. "What is it? Aren't you happy about it?"

"Yes, of course I am. It's just -"

"What? Sam, what is it?"

She took a deep breath and let it out slowly. "I haven't said it back to him."

"You haven't -? What? You mean you haven't told him you love him?"

She nodded her head but didn't say anything.

"O – kay," he answered slowly. "Is there a – reason – for that?"

She nodded – and then shook her head – and then nodded again. "I don't _know_ ," she finally admitted. "I love him – I love him so much – but I can't _tell_ him. And I think he's worried and I don't know what's wrong with me. Every day I promise myself that I'm going to tell him – and then I don't. It's like my throat seizes up every time I go to say the words. I don't know what's wrong with me."

"But you do love him?" Daniel asked softly, watching her carefully. "You don't have any doubts about how you feel?"

"No," she shook her head. "I am absolutely sure I love him – and I'm so happy when we're together. I just can't say the words."

"I see," Daniel pursed his lips, pushed up his glasses and stared off into the corner of the room. After a few seconds his eyes finally returned to her.

"It's a big change," he said.

"What is? Loving him?"

"That too – but I meant the baby, starting a relationship with your former Commander – all of that. It had to have been hard on you."

"It was – but now things are great," she assured him.

"I know – but what I'm trying to say is that you've gone through a lot in a short period of time. It's not surprising that you're not ready to say the words. It's a huge commitment and you've already been through so much this year. You have to give yourself a break. When you're ready to say them, you will."

"But I am – ready I mean. I _want_ to say them. I want to tell him but – aargh!" she dropped her head to her desk. "He must think I don't love him. God Daniel, I don't want to hurt him, but I must be."

"Sam, Jack understands. He knows you're going through a lot and I'm sure he doesn't expect any more from you than you're willing to give at this time. He's happy – it's obvious to everyone. Just cut yourself some slack."

But she wasn't listening anymore. It was true. Jack _didn't_ expect anything from her – at least nothing beyond going on dates and spending time together. He didn't seem to expect her to tell him she loved him, and he certainly didn't expect her to move their relationship to the next level. In fact, he seemed to be keeping things pretty much status quo. He was loving and kind and gentle and – oh _hell_! He was being his usual self-sacrificing self.

Always one to put everyone else first, Jack was doing the same in their relationship. It was sweet and lovely and touching and it had to change. Maybe the reason she was having trouble saying anything was because Jack _was_ being so careful. She was tip-toing around him because he was doing the same around her.

But he did tell you he loved you, her secret voice whispered to her. Yes, but only once – normally he's always so careful in what he says and does.

Well – it had to stop. She wasn't going to let him –

"Sam?"

\- treat her like some delicate –

" _Sam_!"

\- flower! "Huh?" she looked over at Daniel. "What is it?"

"You zoned out there. Are you okay?"

"Me? I'm fine." She suddenly jumped out of her chair. "Sorry – got to go Daniel. Thank you. You were really helpful.

"I _was_?" He frowned as he watched her grab her things and hurry to the door. "Then, uh – you're welcome Sam." He continued to sit there, a puzzled look on his face, long after she was gone.

"Sir?" she poked her head around the General's door.

"Major Carter. Come in. What can I do for you?"

"Uh – I was wondering if it would be okay for me to leave a bit early today Sir."

George Hammond looked startled – and then intrigued. "You know Major, I think that's the first time, in all the years I've known you, that you've asked to leave early. Are you okay?"

She grinned at him. "I'm fine Sir. I just have something – important – to do. It's personal though, so if you don't want me to -"

"Go!" he said, interrupting her. "You have done enough overtime to earn you more than one opportunity to leave early. So just go."

"Thank you General," she nodded and started to turn.

"And I hope everything works out for you Major," Hammond said.

She turned around and smiled at him. "Me too Sir, me too."

George Hammond laughed softly. "Jack, I have a feeling you don't know what's coming!" He chuckled and then returned to looking at the reports in front of him.

"Grrr – stupid – damn – what the – you've _got_ to be kidding me! Who the hell – morons! Where – no, okay _fine!_ Take _that_ you litle -!" Jack signed his name at the bottom of the page and flipped it into the overflowing basket with a flourish. "Ha!" he said, looking at the papers, "You thought you could defeat me – but I am the master!"

"O'Neill."

"Teal'c!" Jack lifted his head from contemplating the glorious _finished_ pile of reports and turned his face towards the door. "Hey, watcha up to buddy? Wanna go grab some pie?"

"I am not hungry, O'Neill, as I just ate. However if you are then I am happy to accompany you to the commissary."

"No," Jack sighed, "that's okay. I don't really need anything. I've already been eating too much."

Teal'c's brows lifted. "You have not appeared to have increased your intake of food," his friend commented.

"Not here, but I've been going out a lot and all that restaurant food …"

"Ah, you have been going out with Major Carter. It is pleasant to see the two of you enjoying one another's company."

"Uh – yeah – I guess," Jack replied, feeling rather uncomfortable. He and Sam had been keeping things relatively quiet as it still felt weird to be together as a couple. There was still a big part of him that kept telling himsel it was wrong to be dating her. Too many years in the Military, he guessed.

"So big guy – what can I do for you?"

"Nothing, O'Neill. I simply came to see you to determine how you are doing."

"Came to check up on me, did you?"

Teal'c gave a stately nod of the head. "General Hammond asked me to determine whether or not you would be able to finish the reports."

"Oh, so you're spying for the General?"

"I am not spying O'Neill. I have simply come to inquire -"

"Oh can it Teal'c! I've finished all of them and I'm going to deliver them to the General and then head home."

"You have another date with Samantha Carter," Teal'c stated.

"Uh – no, not tonight," he replied. He frowned suddenly. He didn't like that idea. He needed to give her a call and see if she was free. They went out together most nights and he found he was getting used to seeing her every day. The only thing that was bothering him – had _just_ started bothering him, was the fact that he was always the one to have to initiate whatever they did. He wondered if he was coming on too strong? Maybe he needed to give her some space -

His thoughts were abruptly interrupted by the ringing of the phone. "Gotta take this buddy," he told Teal'c. The former Jaffa just nodded, and then stood silently while the Colonel picked up his phone.

"O'Neill. Oh, yes Sir, the reports are finished. … I'll be right up General." He hung up the phone and stared at it for a second and then shook his head. "The PTB in DC must be getting up his – uh – must be bugging the General about all the paperwork," he commented

"What is PTB, O'Neill? It is a term I have not heard."

"Oh, you know, the big honchos." At Teal'c's continued puzzled expression Jack explained further.

"The Big Cheeses, Top Dogs, the High Muck-a-Mucks – _you_ know Teal'c – the big Kahuna's who sit in DC and spend all their time figuring out how they can make life hell for all of us little guys."

"You mean your superiors," Teal'c said, with sudden understanding.

Jack snorted and stood up. "Superiors. Yeah, right. Well, I'm off to deliver these _vital_ evaluation reports to General Hammond so that those superior ones can get their jollies, and then I'm heading home for a beer and some hockey."

"You should call Major Carter," Teal'c suggested. "She will take your mind off of the Kahunas."

Jack grinned. "Oh, I don't know – if she comes over I'll _definitely_ be thinking of Kahunas just – other ones."

Teal'c frowned as O'Neill left his office. "I do not believe I shall ever understand the Tauri," he muttered, shaking his head.

Jack chuckled as he walked to Hammond's office. What would he do without Teal'c to brighten his day? A moment later, though, he was frowning as he thought back to Sam. He was beginning to worry that their relationship wasn't going as well as he'd thought it was. She _seemed_ to be happy, but it was true, she never initiated anything, and she certainly hadn't told him she loved him.

He let out a deep sigh and ran his hand through his hair. He'd probably been foolish to think things could possibly work out for him.

After dropping off the reports and speaking for a few minutes with the General, he headed to the locker room to change into his civilian clothes. By the time he left the mountain, he was feeling pretty crummy. He was on his way to convincing himself that Sam was about ready to break it off with him.

He'd pulled into his driveway, and was getting out of the car, before he realized that the lights were on in his house. He frowned – his heart beating slightly faster. Who is hell – before he had time to finish that thought, he noticed Carter's little car sitting on the street.

This time his heart really _did_ speed up, but now for a very different reason. She had let herself in to his house – they all had copies of each other's keys in case of emergency, but this was the first time she'd used it. He just prayed it was for a good reason – and not that she was here to tell him everything was off.

"Uh – _hello_ ," he called as he stepped into his hallway. There was no answer. "Sam?"

"In here," she called from the living room.

He hung up his jacket quickly and then headed towards her voice. He frowned slightly when he realized that the lights had been turned down. What the heck was –

"Sam?" he asked as he stepped down the two steps into his living room. He blinked in the near semi-darkness, trying to see her more clearly. "Sam?"

"Hi Jack," she answered softly.

Her voice sounded just a tiny bit scared – it reminded him of how she talked in the first year of them serving together. He wondered what was going on.

"Uh – it's not that I'm not thrilled to see you but – _ooph!"_

The next few minutes were a complete blur as Sam launched herself at him and proceeded to kiss him blind – and deaf, and dumb, and until he was completely sure that he'd died and gone to heaven.

It was a long time before her lips left his long enough for him to even attempt to speak. "Uh – Sa –" She was kissing him again and practically wrapping herself around him. He couldn't say that he wasn't enjoying it – enjoying it _very_ much – but he was also confused. She'd never acted this way before and it was throwing him off. A small part of his brain also admitted that the – and his mouth broke into a small grin in the middle of the kiss – that those _Kahunas_ were also distracting.

Finally Sam leaned back, her breath deep and fast. His sounded pretty much the same.

"So," he panted. "That was – "

"I love you," she blurted out.

He blinked, and blinked again. "Uh - you -"

"I love you – madly, deeply – and I'm sorry I didn't tell you before. I was just – a coward and everything has happened so fast that it was hard for my mouth to catch up to my heart – and I'm sorry, so sorry. But I _do_ love you and I want you to know that."

He could feel his lips begin to lift at the corners and his eyes crinkled with humor and joy. "You do?"

"Yes," she told him definitively, "I do."

"Good – because if you went around kissing men you _didn't_ love, like that – "

"Stop," she grinned, leaning forward and resting her head on his chest. "I wanted to tell you _and_ show you."

"Oh, you did – show me – and tell me – and, you really do love me? I mean, you don't have to tell me just because I said it to you."

"Idiot," she answered affectionately, giving him a gentle swat on the butt. "I assure you, that's the last thing I'd do."

"Good," he nodded and kissed the top of her head, which was still leaning into him. "And I love you too." The two of them stayed liked that, not speaking or moving, for quite a few minutes. It was Jack who finally broke the silence.

"So, that was a very nice way to be greeted. I must admit I could get used to it." He was actually feeling quite shaky and was grateful that Sam couldn't see his face, which he knew was rather stunned looking. She also wouldn't see his eyes, which had grown quite watery – not tears, no not tears for Jack O'Neill.

"Me too," she murmured.

Finally, after Jack had begun to wonder if she'd stay leaning against him permanently, she lifted her head and looked directly up at him. He lifted an eyebrow at her – wondering what the heck was going through her mind. She looked happy and scared at the same time, _and_ her face was slightly red as if she were blushing. His face slowly crumpled into a frown. "Sam? What's -"

"Take me to bed Jack," she said – so softly he was afraid he'd heard her wrong.

"What?"

"Take me to bed. Make love to me. I love you –and I want _to_ love you – and I want you to love me."

He took a step back and reached out his hands to grasp her arms above the elbow. "Sam?" he waited until she looked up and into his eyes. "Sam – are you sure? Because you don't have to prove anything to me, you know. I believe you when you say you love me – and it means everything. If you're not read -"

"Shut up Jack."

That caused his eyebrows to go up even higher, but he didn't answer, instead just waiting for her to speak.

"This isn't me trying to prove anything. This is me telling you that if you don't take me to bed right now, and make love to me, then I'm going to scream. I've wanted you _forever_ and I've waited long enough for you to make the move. And since you didn't – _I'm_ telling _you_ I want you." She stared at him for a second and then grinned, suddenly looking very much in charge. "So move it mister!"

Slowly his own expression changed. His lips curled into a smile, the lines grew around his eyes, and his eyes themselves gleamed. "As the lady wishes," he said quietly. Then, without further pause, he reached down and picked her up, giving her a swift kiss on the lips as he did so. He then turned and headed towards his bedroom, saying only a small prayer that he hadn't left any dirty socks lying around.

When they got to the bedroom he slowly, carefully let her stand. They looked at one another for a few seconds, and then Jack smiled and pulled her forward. "Do you know how much I love you, woman?" he asked.

She smiled back. "Nope. I'm afraid you're going to have to show me."

He waggled one eyebrow. "I think I can do that."

And he did.


	18. Item

_**Thanks to all of you who continue to follow this story, even though I have been HORRIBLE at updating. I'm really trying to get it done in the next week and then I promise to finish Spring Cleaning. Thanks for your patience! Vini**_

He'd spent many hours remembering what it had been like to make love to Sam. While it had occurred because of the damned orb, what he remembered most was that the reality had been even better than all his fantasies rolled into one.

But now – hell now he had even _more_ to remember. Making love with her, while neither of them were under any influence other than love, had been – hell, he didn't even know _how_ to describe it. He thought of how soft her skin was, how she felt, how she smelled, how she sighed when he –

"- nel?"

He blinked. When he –

" _Colonel!_ "

"Uh – what?" he looked around, to see an irritated General Hammond, Teal'c with his eyebrow raised, Danny smirking and Sam – oh crap – Sam was beet red.

"Colonel, if you'd like to join the briefing?" Hammond snapped at him.

Boy, he must _really_ have zoned out. Not only that, he was pretty sure he'd been staring at Sam during his whole _daydream_. Crap

"Uh – sorry Sir. Just thinkin' about – uh my – uh reports – yeah, my reports!"

"What reports might those be Colonel?" Hammond asked carefully. "My understanding was you handed in all of your reports."

"Yup – just thinking about getting a head start on the next ones," he answered – wanting to grimace at his own answer.

Daniel choked, and – although he didn't think it was possible, Teal'c's eyebrows went up even higher. Sam couldn't get any redder, but he was pretty sure he saw the beginnings of a grin on her face. He was never going to live this down.

"Well, as much as I appreciate your dedication, Colonel O'Neill, right now I'd appreciate your attention on our discussion."

"Right! Yes Sir, you have my total – absolutely, complete attention – Sir."

Hammond sighed and shook his head. "So people, to continue – the Tokra have asked us to check it out by I wanted your opinions first."

"I vote no," O'Neill said.

Hammond frowned again. "And what's your reason Jack?"

"Uh – the Tokra want us to do it ergo it has to be a bad idea."

"Jack, do you have any idea what we're talking about?" Daniel asked after a moment of silence.

"Sure. The Tokra want us to check something out. I think it's a bad idea."

"But do you know _what_ they want us to check out?"

"Does it matter?" Jack wanted to know. "It's still a bad idea."

"But I don't think it is," Daniel argued. "P4F 3JK could be the key. I mean, if it's there it could totally change things."

"What things?" Jack asked, sounding confused.

Hammond sighed. "Colonel, the Tokra reported that one of their operatives had to make an emergency landing on P4F 3JK and while there he discovered what they think may be an Ancient outpost."

"Uh – ancient as it _Ancient_ – head sucky guys – or ancient as in old rocks and ruins?"

" _Ancient_ Jack – as in the builders of the Stargate."

"Damn, the head sucky ones!" Jack groused. "And we think this outpost might be important _why_?"

"Well Sir," Sam spoke for the first time, her color finally having returned to normal, "besides the fact that we might find a ZPM, the Tokra agent took some pictures of some writing on one of the walls of the structure. Daniel thinks -"

"Jack, it's _ancient_!"

"Yeah, you already said that."

"No, I mean that it's _ancient_ Ancient – really _old_ Ancient. This might be one of the original outposts, the origin if you will, of their civilization!"

"And how will that help us? I'd think we'd be more interested in advanced Ancients than primitive ones."

"There's nothing to say they were primitive. It's just that we might find out – all sorts of stuff about where they came from, how they operated as a culture – we might even find evidence of how they built the Stargate."

"Like _instructions_?"

"It's possible Sir," Sam told him with a little grin. "That's why we think it might be a good idea to check it out. According to the Tokra the planet is deserted. They don't think there's any danger. But there is a Stargate – and they gave us the coordinates."

"Then why aren't _they_ checking it out?" Jack asked suspiciously.

"They told us they don't have the man-power right now. They're involved in a number of missions against the Goa'uld and don't have anyone they can send."

Jack scowled and turned to General Hammond. "I don't like it Sir. The Tokra are always conveniently busy when there's something like this – and we end up bearing the brunt of whatever happens."

"I know Colonel – I tend to agree. But I'm also with Major Carter and Dr. Jackson that this could be an important find."

"Mmm. What about you Teal'c?" Jack finally asked.

"I too do not trust the Tokra," Teal'c acknowledged. "However, it my indeed be an important find. If we were to discover the knowledge of the Ancients in regards to the Stargate, it could help us win the war against the Goa'uld."

"So, you're for going?"

"I believe so," Teal'c answered.

"Well, it looks like I'm outnumbered," Jack sighed. "I still don't like it."

"I understand Colonel – and we will make sure to proceed cautiously."

"But if this goes FUBAR – then I'm gonna go after some Tokra butt!"

"Colonel," Hammond warned. "They are our allies."

"Yeah, with allies like that, who needs enemies!"

Hammond took a deep breath. "Because of the importance of this mission – and because I tend to agree with Colonel O'Neill about the Tokra, I'm going to assign a forth to your team. Colonel, do you have any preference?"

Jack thought for a moment. "I'd say Dixon or Feretti Sir. I've worked with both of them before and either will fit well with my team."

"Okay, I'll let you decide which one to ask. You have a go tomorrow at 0800 hours."

As Jack stood he glanced down at the clipboard in front of him. It took him a few seconds to realize what he'd doodled – and then he quickly grabbed it and held it to his chest. He really didn't need Daniel or Teal'c – or Sam for that matter – to see that he'd written her name all over the paper, just like some pimply-faced teenager. God, he had it bad!

"So, what was all that about Jack?" Daniel grinned at him as they filed out of the room. You looked like you were about ready to pounce on Sam."

"I did not," he answered sharply. "I was deep in thought is all."

"Right – but what thoughts?" Daniel waggled his brows. "You looked like -"

"Enough Daniel," Jack told him, feeling the red starting to creep up his neck. "Don't you have some work to do to prepare for our mission tomorrow?"

"Oh right! I can't believe the General is letting us go. This could be fantastic Jack. I mean, what if we -"

"Yes Daniel – it's going to be amazing. Now, if you'll excuse me, I have things I have to do too. Teal'c?"

"I shall prepare for our mission as well," he answered calmly. "Will you be alright O'Neill?"

"What?" Jack frowned. "Of course – why wouldn't I be?"

"You appeared to be extremely distracted today, as well as tired. Did something occur last night to keep you awake you?"

Jack stared at him, his face frozen. Finally, after a few awkward seconds he coughed. "No – nothing – I just – had a restless sleep."

"I am sorry. I have been told that warm milk is a remedy many people use if they can not sleep."

"Right. I'll – uh – remember that for next time."

Teal'c bowed his head and then turned to head off to his room – or where ever he went to ready himself for missions.

Jack stood for a couple more seconds, until he heard a small sound behind him. He swung his head around, to find a grinning Sam Carter looking at him.

"So – warm milk. You think that will help – Sir."

"Carter," he warned, although his mouth turned up at the corners. "This was all your fault you know."

She grinned even more widely. "Me Sir? Why would that be?"

"Sam," he said softly, a warning gleam in his eye. "Do you want me to spell it out?"

She turned pink at this, although to give her credit, she didn't break eye contact with him. "If you want to – Sir," she taunted him.

He narrowed his eyes and took a step towards her – after first carefully ascertaining there was no one else present. "Really Major? Well then, let me tell you what happened when I got home last evening."

" _Jack!"_ she squeaked, looking around. "I was just kidding."

"You were? So then you _don't_ want me to tell you about arriving home to find -"

"Colonel!" she almost begged.

Jack laughed and stepped back. Of course he wasn't going to talk about their night – at least not on base, but he had enjoyed teasing her. " – to find that I'd left my lights on," he finished.

She rolled her eyes and then smiled. "You'll have to be more careful next time, Colonel," she told him.

"Mmm hmm," he nodded. "One has to be careful. I mean – one day I could forget to lock my door and find – oh – a stranger in my living room."

She just grinned and the two of them looked at one another for just long enough to convey how they felt after their wonderful night together. But then Jack blinked and Sam's expressions straightened out. They were on base and both were professionals and knew now was not the time to be focused on their relationship.

Although Jack was still pretty happy!

"So Major – I wish you were coming with us on this mission."

"So do I Sir," she said, a slight frown on her face, although the hand on her belly showed him she was well-aware of why she couldn't go. A moment later and her frown relaxed and she smiled. "Just promise me that if you bring anything back, I get to look at it first."

"Of course Major. All new alien doohickeys are yours – at least – maybe not," he frowned. "Those alien things always lead to trouble."

"Not always," she smiled. "Sometimes they lead to – the most wonderful things!"

He was sure he had a stupid, love-sick expression on his face, and frankly he didn't care. He felt like whistling as he walked down the corridor, but knowing Danny or Teal'c they'd catch him and tease him.

So instead he spent the day grinning. Life was good.

Sadly, he didn't see Sam that night. They both agreed that he needed to have a good night's sleep before the mission to the Ancient outpost so they simply said goodbye. And the worst part was he couldn't even kiss her as they were still on base.

As he lay in his bed that night, he put his hand out to the other side – the other side where just last night Sam lay curled up next to him.

He could hardly wait for the mission to be over.

"So, you're lookin' pretty happy lately, Jack," Dixon commented as they moved away from the Stargate and towards the coordinates given to them by the Tokra.

They watched carefully as they moved, all of them too experienced to assume there was no danger just because the Tokra had told them there wasn't – _especially_ because the Tokra had told them they're wasn't.

"Yeah," Jack answered, cautiously scanning the terrain. "No happier than normal," he commented.

Dixon laughed. "Right! Jack, you walk around half the time with a grin, and the other half whistling. And then there are the times we catch you staring into space with a – a _besotted_ look on your face. Don't tell me you're not happy."

"Okay, I won't," Jack told him, his lips pursed.

"So – things going well with Major Carter."

Jack's head whipped around to look at Dave. "What?"

"I was just wondering how Major Carter is doing – you know, now that she can't go off world."

Jack looked at him suspiciously, but then finally nodded. "It's hard for her. She wants to be out here with us. But she's doing okay and I think the lab geeks are thrilled to have her full-time."

"Yeah, I'm sure they are – especially Felgar. I'm pretty sure he has a crush on her."

"No he doesn't," Jack scowled. "He's in love with – that other scientist," Jack informed him.

Dave Dixon stared at him and then laughed. "Dr. Lee?"

"Who? What?" Jack stared. "Dr. _Lee_? Why would he be in love with – I meant _Chloe_ – whatever her last name is."

"Oh. Right." Dixon grinned. "So, you'd better watch out Jack. Sounds like you may have some competition."

" _Competition_? What the hell do you mean Dixon?"

"Just that Felgar might not be too happy with your relationship with Major Carter and – try something to get between you."

"My rela – what are you talking about Dixon? Major Carter and I don't have a _-_ "

"Jack – stop!" Dixon held up his hand. "Look, I don't want to pry and I understand why you're trying to keep things low-key – but you should know that everyone on base knows you're together."

Jack stopped dead – which caused Dave to stop so as not to plow into him. Daniel and Teal'c were 50 feet behind after Daniel had discovered that one of his books was missing. It was only after he'd emptied his entire pack that he remembered he'd left it on the kitchen counter.

"Everyone?" he asked Dixon.

Dave nodded – "even the night cleaning crew."

"What the hell! Doesn't anyone have any privacy anymore! Who the hell is talking about this?"

"Privacy is a difficult thing to achieve in this day and age, but to be fair," Dave grimaced," you haven't done much to hide it."

Jack groaned. "Damn!"

"But you know we're all happy for you, right?"

"Really?" It took a few more minutes but finally he seemed to see the sincerity in Dixon's eyes. – and the humor of the situation. He began to grin. "So, I don't need to sneak around anymore?"

"If that was "sneaking around" then it's a good thing you're not a spy, Jack. And no, you don't need to sneak around. Like I said, everyone's happy for you."

"Yeah, I am pretty lucky!"

"Yes you are," Dave nodded. "And you're going to be a Daddy again. How's that feel?"

"Terrifying but – good. Any tips?" he looked at Dave out of the corner of his eye and smirked. Dave and his wife were the proud parents of five.

"Not really. Love 'em – and spend as much time with them as you can – they grow up fast. But you know this."

Jack nodded, his eyes focused ahead.

"The good news is that going on missions across the galaxy is easier than it used to be," Dave confessed. "Anything is easier than dealing with five kids!"

Jack laughed – and the subject turned to other things, although he was incredibly pleased to know that – well, that he and Sam were an acknowledged item.

"Jack, do you _see_!" Daniel had some up beside him but his eyes were focused ahead.

Jack glanced forward – and then stopped dead and stared– mesmerized by the shear size and – _beauty_ – of the outpost. Suddenly he was glad the mission had gone ahead. For some reason, which he didn't want to analyze, he _needed_ to be in that city. It was calling to him in a way that drowned out other thoughts, or worries or feelings.

"Let's go," he whispered, his eyes still focused on the outpost. Without waiting to see if his team had heard him, he set out walking towards the Ancient city.


	19. Those Pesky Obelisks

_**Whoot! 2 chapters in 2 days. I'm on a roll folks. A sincere thanks to all you reviewers (especially those who nudged me to continue). I know I probably lost a lot of readers because of my bad updating, but please know that reviews do make me continue to write. Thanks!**_

"Jack, slow down!" Daniel was practically running trying to keep up with the Colonel. Teal'c was managing better, but had a worried expression on his usually impassive face. Dixon was also looking concerned, as well as sweaty from the quick walk.

"Why, Daniel," O'Neill asked, not breaking stride. "You're usually all gung ho to get to ruins."

"I know, but – but you're not and you're acting weird."

"Weird?" Jack glanced at him but then kept moving towards the Ancient city.

"Yeah – look – Jack _stop!"_

That finally seemed to get through to the Colonel and he slowed, and then stopped, although the tension in his body showed his eagerness to continue. "What Daniel? What is it?"

"Jack – _why_ are you hurrying so fast? This isn't like you."

"He is correct O'Neill," Teal'c added. "Your actions are highly unusual."

"Oh for heaven's sake," Jack muttered, pulling off his cap and wiping his sweaty forehead. "I just want to get there and get this over with."

"Uh Jack – I think both Dr. Jackson and Teal'c are right. You're acting a bit – off," Dixon said calmly.

Jack looked at him. "You too Dixon? I'm _fine._ Can we just go already? Then we can go home. There's a game tonight I don't want to miss."

The other three men regarded him seriously for a second, but that had seemed to pacify them. They all knew how crazy Jack was about hockey – although Dixon was still a bit leery. He didn't remember ever seeing Jack so anxious before – at least not about some historical ruins. But finally – after a shared look with his other two companions, they nodded and all started walking once more. While Daniel kept an eye on the city ahead, both Dixon and Teal'c watched Jack – just in case.

"Does the city look like it's starting to – I don't know – light up or something?" Daniel asked suddenly.

Teal'c peered ahead. "I believe it is starting to glow," he agreed.

"What the hell would cause that?" Dixon asked. "Do you think there's someone there? I thought the Tokra said it was deserted."

"Can't trust the damn Tokra," Jack muttered, although his mind was focused on the city ahead. He felt that same "pulling" feeling he'd gotten when they first saw the ruins, although now it was stronger. He also felt a strange buzz running through his body, his nerves tingling with something he couldn't identify. He debated telling the others, but was almost sure he was just imagining things. It was just a bunch of ruins, after –

"Whoa!" Daniel stopped. "It's definitely getting brighter."

His three companions also stopped, clearly seeing what Daniel was seeing. The city was definitely glowing, with an eerie bluish light. The nearer they got, the brighter it seemed to get. Jack had a funny feeling in his stomach.

"Do you think we should go any closer?" Daniel wanted to know, glancing sideways at the Colonel.

"Are you saying we should _not_ go, Daniel?" Jack asked incredulously. "You?"

"Hey, I'm as careful as the next guy."

"You are not, Daniel Jackson," Teal'c replied. "You are usually careless of your safety and that of others when you see ruins."

"Hey!"

"Teal's right, you know. And who's acting weird now, huh? Anyway, I think we should keep going. Daniel, you said yourself that this could be an important find. What if there's information there about the Stargate and how it works?"

"There's something wrong with this picture," Daniel murmured. "You wanting to look at ruins, me wanting to be careful."

"Jack, do you think you might have something to do with that," Dixon gestured towards the still glowing city. "I mean, you've activated Ancient stuff before. Maybe you're the one doing this?"

"What? Lighting up a whole city? I doubt it Dave. Maybe it's some kind of intruder alert."

"I believe we need to be cautious," Teal'c warned. "I also believe that Colonel Dixon may be correct. We should determine whether or not O'Neill is responsible before we continue. Why do you not retreat towards the gate, O'Neill, while the rest of us approach the city? That way we will know for sure."

Jack really wanted to disagree. And he _was_ in charge. He could just tell them they were being ridiculous and order them to move forward. And the truth was, as each second went by, he felt a stronger urge to hurry, to get to the city. Waiting here was becoming almost painful as the buzzing feeling increased.

And yet the part of his brain that was still in command, that looked out for his teammates knew that they were correct. "Fine," he said tightly. "I'll wait here while you guys go check it out. But I'm only giving you a few and then I'm following."

"Teal'c, why don't you stay with Colonel O'Neill, while Daniel and I check out the city. That's okay, isn't it Jack?" Dave asked. He was worried about the other man, who appeared to be in some distress.

"What?" Jack asked, his attention totally focused on the city. "I – yeah, okay." He took a step forward, drawn forward by some invisible force. It was only Teal'c's hand, placed gently on his arm, that stopped him.

"O'Neill, I suggest we move back. Colonel Dixon and Daniel Jackson will determine if the city is safe."

"What? Oh, yeah, okay." He swallowed and reluctantly followed Teal'c away from the city, although he continued to turn his head and look at the Ancient ruins.

He started to breathe heavily – almost as if the air was becoming thicker. And his legs started having difficulty moving. He felt as if he were walking through molasses – or possibly some kind of force field, which didn't want him to leave.

"Are you alright O'Neill?" Teal'c asked after a few minutes, stopping and regarding his friend with concern.

"I – I don't know Teal'c. It's – please, let's go back," he begged suddenly. "I have to go back."

Teal'c glanced towards the Ancient ruins – the figures of Daniel Jackson and Dave Dixon had grown smaller. But the glow had also started to dim and he was now convinced that O'Neill was responsible for whatever was happening to the city.

"O'Neill, we must return to the Gate. Something is not right. I will inform Colonel Dixon." He reached into his vest to retrieve his radio – when he was suddenly enveloped in a flood of electricity. A moment later Teal'c lay on the ground, almost unconscious from the power of the Zat. Before he had a chance to recover, or move, O'Neill had quickly bound him with ropes.

"Sorry about that Teal'c," the Colonel whispered, but his eyes were glazed with some strange inner light and his attention was not on his friend. "I have to go."

With that he stood and turned towards the Ancient city, ignoring Teal'c's pleas to remain, to ignore whatever was controlling him. In a moment he'd begun a steady jog, towards the city, the pull now too great to resist.

The moment that Jack had moved away from the ruins, the light had begun to dim in all the buildings. Dixon and Jackson looked at one another – both concerned by what was happening.

"I'm afraid we're going to have to keep Jack away until we can find out what's going on," Daniel stated. He glanced at the Colonel, wondering what Dixon was thinking.

"Yeah – although it's going to be hard." He laughed softly. "Changing O'Neill's mind, once made up, isn't easy."

Daniel laughed as well. "That's for sure."

"Although the way he says it, you're even worse," Dixon commented, looking at him closely.

Daniel frowned, but didn't answer, knowing that it was probably true although his instinct was to deny it. The truth was, when he had something in sight it was rare for him to let go.

By this time the two men were entering the outskirts of the deserted city – each carefully intent on their surroundings. Upon closer examination it appeared that there were still some buildings standing, although the ones nearer the perimeter were in worse shape. So far they had seen absolutely no evidence of any sentient life on the planet and certainly none in the city.

Once they were sure things were – at least to their sight – safe, they both stepped forward onto what had clearly been a street at one time, paved with stones much as ancient European cities were.

"The light's gone," Daniel noted. "It _must_ have been Jack."

"Mmm. Probably. Let's -" Dixon stopped as suddenly, without any warning, the glow appeared again. It was hard to say where it was coming from as all the buildings lit up at once.

"What the heck?" Daniel looked around, puzzled. "Maybe it wasn't Jack."

"Unless he's come back," Dave pointed out. "Where the hell is the light _coming from_? I don't see a source, Jackson, do you?"

"I think -" Daniel walked up to one building and examined it closely. "The stones themselves appear to be glowing," he said in awe. He reached out to touch, when his hand was grabbed and pulled down.

"No touching Jackson! Not until we know what the hell is going on."

"It's getting brighter," Daniel stood quietly beside the building, knowing that Dixon was right. They had to be careful.

Dixon turned in a circle, attempting to see if there was anything – or more importantly, any _one_ making this happen. He looked out to the open area, beyond the city and saw a figure approaching. He nudged Daniel. "That looks like O'Neill."

"What?" Daniel glanced in the same direction. "Yeah, it is. But where's Teal'c?"

"I don't know, but I'm going to find out." He pulled out his radio. "O'Neill, come in."

There was static, but no answer, so he called again. "O'Neill, come in. This is Colonel Dixon. Do you copy?"

"Yeah Dixon. What?"

"Uh – is Teal'c with you?"

There was silence, for just a fraction too long, and then Jack's voice came on again. "He's returned to the Stargate," he said. "He's letting Hammond know we're checking things out."

Dixon and Jackson glanced at each other, both of them worried. There was no reason for O'Neill to have sent Teal'c back – the General already knew they were going to the city and it was too early for any alarms to be raised.

"I don't like this," Daniel commented. "Something is off," he said, echoing Dixon's words of earlier.

"I agree. Let's go meet him – and Daniel, stay on your toes. O'Neill is smart and he's gonna know we're suspicious."

They walked toward the edge of the town, the same place where they'd entered. But this time they had to shield their eyes – the glow from the buildings was now so bright it was almost impossible to see.

"Hey Jack," Daniel called when O'Neill was within 50 feet. "What's up?"

The Colonel didn't respond. In fact he barely looked at Daniel – instead his eyes were focused sharply on the buildings ahead.

" _Jack_!" Dixon called. "Hey – what's up?"

At that the Colonel's eyes flipped over to Dixon but almost immediately back towards the town. He clearly knew the two men were there, but for some reason he was ignoring them.

"What's wrong with him?" Daniel wanted to know.

"Something in the city is affecting him. Let's just keep an eye out for anything suspicious. If need be we'll zap him and take him out of here."

"What about Teal'c?"

Dixon tried calling Teal'c on his radio, but when he got no answer he sighed. "I don't know and right now I can't worry about him. We have enough on our plate to handle O'Neill. We'll check again in a few minutes."

Daniel nodded, his eyes tracking the movement of his friend and commander. He was almost at the city's edge. "Jack," he called. Again O'Neill glanced at him but then he focused forward.

O'Neill reached the edge of the city and abruptly stopped. He stared at the building in front of him, which was now shining brightly. After a brief pause he started moving again, appearing as if he knew exactly where he wanted to be.

Daniel and Dixon hurried over toward him, but stopped when Jack put up his hand.

"Jack?" Daniel asked softly. "What is it? What's going on?"

Jack just shook his head and started walking.

"What do we do?" Daniel asked worriedly.

"For now, let's follow him. But keep your eyes open. We may need to stop him." Dixon had pulled out his Zat although he wasn't pointing it at O'Neill – at least not yet.

The two men followed as Jack swiftly made his way towards the center of the city. Both of them had had to put on their sunglasses, although, strangely, Jack didn't seem to be affected by the brightness.

"He seems to know where he's going," commented Dixon.

At that precise moment O'Neill stopped, directly in front of a small obelisk in the very center of what appeared to be the town square. No more than three meters high, it was made of some kind of stone, with a square base – each side of which was no more than four feet. Its sides were covered with what looked like writing. and it rose to a point on the top.

"What the hell is that?" Dixon whispered.

"I don't know. The writing on it is a form of Ancient, but from this distance I can't decipher what it says. What's he doing?" Daniel asked, his tension increasing.

"Jack – don't touch it!" Dixon warned, lifting his Zat. Jack stopped, his hand raised part-way to the obelisk. He turned his head slowly and looked at Dixon. His face remained blank, and after a second he turned back and moved his hand closer.

Dixon grimaced and shot Jack with his Zat.

Or at least that's what he _tried_ to do. The moment he'd done it, however, some kind of shield had enveloped Jack. The electricity hit the shield and bounced back so that next thing they knew, both Dixon and Jackson were writhing on the ground from the effects of the Zat.

Jack glanced once more their way but then again turned back. This time he reached out and placed his hand on the obelisk. For a moment nothing happened and then the stone under his hand flared brightly – so brightly that nothing could be seen.

Just a few seconds later the light dimmed – not just from the obelisk, but from all the buildings, until they once more looked like nothing but Ancient ruins. Dixon was slowly sitting up, grimacing at the remaining pain from the Zat. A second later Daniel followed him.

"What the hell happened?" asked Daniel.

"I – don't know. Somehow the discharge from the Zat ricocheted back and got us." As he spoke he was staring at the obelisk.

"What?" Daniel was still feeling fuzzy. "Where's Jack?" he asked, looking around.

"I don't know," Dave answered slowly. "He – seems to have disappeared."

"


	20. Where's Jaaack?

_**Thanks for all the reviews. And for my penance (LOL taurigirl1) here's number 3 in 3 days.**_

 _ **And lest you forget the title of this story … more clichés to come ….**_

"What the hell just happened?" Dixon asked, doing a complete 360 as he tried to find O'Neill. "Where did he go?"

"I don't know," Daniel too was looking all around the –now completely _not_ glowing – city. "He just disappeared."

"What? People can't just disappear. Let's check out the damn column thing!"

"The obelisk?"

"Yeah – whatever. Maybe there's a trap door in it."

"It looks pretty solid to me."

"Looks can be deceiving. Come on Jackson. And then you can read the damn thing to see if there are any instructions on how to get back lost teammates."

"I don't know if I can read the – okay, okay," he muttered as Dixon shot him a look that could kill.

The two men hurried over to the obelisk, where a moment before Jack had stood. Now there was absolutely no sign of him whatsoever. And, as they looked at the monument in front of them it was becoming increasingly obvious that if, in fact, there was a trap door, it was well hidden.

Just as Daniel began to try and read the text, his radio crackled.

" _Come in Colonel Dixon, Daniel Jackson."_

"Teal'c!" Jackson grabbed his radio and answered his friend and comrade. "What happened to you? Are you alright? Jack is gone – he disappeared. Do you know what's -"

Jackson's questions ended when Dixon took his radio. "Teal'c, Colonel Dixon here. What's your position?"

"I am approximately one kilometer from the edge of the city, heading your direction. I shall arrive in fifteen minutes."

"What happened?"

"Colonel O'Neill surprised me with his Zat'nikatel. Before I had a chance to recover he had bound me tightly. I only now had the opportunity to free myself.

Daniel snatched back his radio. " _What_!Jack _shot_ you?"

"Yes," Teal'c answered. "He did not appear to be in his own mind."

"You mean his right mind."

"Yes, that is correct. What did you say about him disappearing?"

Dixon sighed and gently removed the radio from Daniel's fingers. "We'll explain everything when you get here Teal'c. Just – hurry."

"I will Colonel Dixon. Thank you."

Dave handed back Daniel's radio. "Sorry Dr. Jackson – but we need to remain calm or we're not going to be of any help to O'Neill."

"Yeah, I know. It's just – how could he disappear?"

"We'll figure it out. In the meantime, let's check out the immediate vicinity until Teal'c gets here, then we'll figure out our next steps. And stay with me! I don't want to lose anyone else."

The two men did a slow perimeter check of the square. As far as they could see there was nothing unusual – just a bunch of old, deserted and partially crumbled buildings. The glow was still absent.

Both men were worried, but were trying hard to contain their fears and to stay positive. Jack had to be around here _somewhere_. They just had to find him.

"Colonel Dixon, Daniel Jackson." Teal'c had found them and approached quickly, his staff weapon at the ready and his Zat in the other hand. "Have you located O'Neill?"

"No, and there's nothing to indicate where he's gone. He just disappeared."

"Is this an Ancient outpost?" Teal'c asked.

Daniel started in surprise. "Oh – yes, at least the language on the obelisk is a form of Ancient, although it's a bit different than what I'm used to. I expect it's a more ancient – Ancient. I haven't had a chance to translate it yet."

"Then I suggest you start. It could give us information as to where O'Neill was taken."

"Yeah, I know. Look, why don't I head to the obelisk and start translating, while the two of you keep looking around?"

Dixon considered for a moment and then nodded. "But don't touch anything. And if you see – or feel – anything suspicious, call us."

"I will, don't worry."

With that Dixon and Teal'c began to move deeper into the city, while Daniel returned to the obelisk.

* * *

Jack blinked, unsure of where he was or what had just happened. He felt strange – not bad but – different, although he couldn't put his foot on quite what was wrong.

He glanced down at himself and, as far as he could tell, everything was in its right place and there were no leaking bodily fluids, so he assumed he was okay.

He next studied the area around himself. If he wasn't mistaken, the last place he'd been was – he frowned – where _had_ he been? He remembered walking towards the Ancient city with Dixon, Daniel and Teal'c – and that's the _last_ thing he remembered. Did they arrive? Was he in the city?

He studied the room and – yes – it looked like he was there. At least he was in a small chamber that appeared as if it could be part of the Ancient complex. But why he was here was a mystery.

The chamber was empty, except for a stone bench – or it actually looked more like some kind of altar.

Nope – don't go there O'Neill – because he literally _was_ there – lying right on top of the damn thing.

He sat up suddenly and then jumped to his feet. No way was he gonna lie around on an altar – just like some sacrificial -

Nope – don't go there either. He turned around to look at the rest of the room. " _Worlds most boring room_ ," he muttered to himself. There wasn't anything else there.

So then, the next thing on his agenda was to get _out_ of this room and go find his team. He hoped nothing bad had happened to them. He just wished he could remember.

He walked towards the center of the town and to the obelisk. It was a meeting place that most citizens used and – wait! How the hell did he know that? And how the hell did he even know there _was_ an obelisk. And even if he did, he would never admit it _and_ never use the word obelisk. That was too – Daniel – for him.

But he kept walking through the corridors towards the square he shouldn't know existed. He kept glancing around. The place gave him the willies. He didn't know why, but it almost felt like –

\- he stopped dead. There was a sound – a strange _moaning_ sound, coming from down one of the hallways. He heard a soft shushing sound and then what sounded like an eerie laugh. What the hell was going on?

He kept walking – the obelisk his objective. He didn't care how he knew it – only that he had to get out of here and find his friends.

He turned the corner and felt goosebumps rise up on his arms. It had felt as if someone had passed directly behind him, even though he hadn't seen anything.

And there again was that laugh – although this time it turned into a wail and again he felt shivers run up and down his spine. He needed to get outside.

Finally he turned the corner and there was a door leading outdoors. He practically ran to it, needing to feel the sunlight and breathe the fresh air. He really didn't like this place.

A moment later he saw the obelisk – and Daniel standing in front of it, clearly attempting to translate it.

" _Hey Danny – figure out what it says yet?"_

"I can't -". After that all Jack heard was muttering until, "damn it! I _know_ this. What are you trying to say?"

" _I don't think the rock is gonna answer if you're mean to it Daniel. Trying saying 'please'."_

Daniel sighed and pushed his hand through his hair. "Couldn't you have been plain old Ancient," he muttered. "Just tell me where Jack is!"

" _He's right behind you Danny boy," Jack called out. "Just turn around!"_

When Daniel didn't move Jack grinned and moved closer. He knew it was mean, but there was nothing quite so much fun as scaring Daniel. He reached out his hand and placed it on the younger man's shoulder and waited for the reaction.

But the reaction was _his_ when his hand went right through the shoulder of his friend and landed on the stone thingy.

" _What the -?"_ He pulled his hand back and stared at it. He then looked up at Daniel, who hadn't so much as moved. What was going on? _"Daniel_?"

Nothing happened. Taking a deep breath Jack moved so that he was standing beside his friend. Nothing. He then leaned up against the obelisk, right in _front_ of the archaeologist and again – _nothing._

" _Crap!"_ He didn't know what the hell had happened, but he was invisible – and couldn't touch or be touched by Daniel. The interesting this was that the Ancient ruins _were_ corporeal as far as he was concerned. He just couldn't touch Daniel. Jack closed his eyes and groaned. What was he going to do now?

"Anything?" Dixon called as he entered the square, Teal'c close behind him.

"No. I'm having trouble deciphering this. It is a form of Ancient, but quite different from the one I'm used to. It's going to take me some time. What about you? Did you find anything?"

"Not yet. So far all of the rooms – at least the ones intact – are empty. There isn't so much as a pot."

"And there is no evidence that any sentient being has been here for many years," Tea'c added. "It indeed appears deserted."

"But then where the hell could Jack be?"

" _Right here_ ," the Colonel sighed. He was leaning up against the damned alien object, his arms crossed in front of him. Somehow he had to let his teammates know he was here. He thought for a moment. Maybe if he closed his eyes and concentrated he could get through to them. Hey, what if he could communicate directly to their minds?

He tried for a long time, but all that happened was he developed a headache. Okay, so that didn't work. What if he tried moving something with his mind? He concentrated some more - and simply caused his headache to spike. This wasn't working. Damn! What to do now?

"Damn! I don't know what to do," hissed Daniel. "I may have to go back to the base and study this with some of my books. I can't seem to make heads nor tails of it."

"I do not wish to leave until we have located O'Neill," Teal'c stated.

"Yeah, I know." Dixon lifted his cap and put his hands through his hair, and then stuck the cap back on. "But at the same time, we're not really accomplishing anything. We need to know what that thing says if we want to find Jack and I think Dr. Jackson needs to go back."

"I shall stay," Teal'c stated again.

"No Teal'c. Look," Dixon held up his hand, "I understand that you don't want to leave when we don't know where O'Neill is, but we also need to get back to the SGC. We won't be gone long. We can leave Dr. Jackson to do the translating and come back with a full team. That way we can do an intensive search of the ruins."

Teal'c thought for a moment and finally nodded. "As long as we return quickly."

"Of course. I'm sure Hammond will want us to get back immediately. It will only take a couple of hours at most."

Jack didn't want them to leave. In fact he felt like he was about to panic. He'd been left before on planets but this time was worse. This time he really _would_ be all alone. And the place gave him the creeps.

" _Hey guys – Teal'c can stay,"_ he said, directing his words toward Dixon _. "I'll watch out for him. He can stay and keep me company."_

But of course no one heard him. Instead they grabbed all their things and started heading back to the Stargate.

" _Well, then, I'm coming,"_ Jack decided. He'd just follow them home and come back with them when they returned. With that thought he stepped in behind Teal'c and proceeded to walk with them.

Until he hit a brick wall. Except there _was_ no brick wall. There was nothing – nothing that he could see or feel, except whatever it was wouldn't let him pass. He watched as his teammates kept moving, while he stood there, alone.

" _Hey, wait!_ " he called. " _Don't leave me!"_ He realized he sounded pathetic, but at this moment didn't care. He really didn't want to be left alone.

He turned back towards the city – he'd only managed to walk a few dozen feet from the edge – and began to return. Maybe he'd have some luck and find something that explained his predicament. He certainly hoped so because being invisible wasn't nearly as much fun as he'd thought it would be.

"How are we going to tell Sam," Daniel suddenly said, after the three men had walked in near silence for the past twenty minutes.

"Crap!" Dixon answered. "Maybe she's not on base?"

"Samantha Carter would not leave until O'Neill returned."

"Double crap," Dave said. "I think it would be better coming from one of you. I mean, you're close friends."

"Coward!" Daniel said.

"He is correct, Daniel Jackson," Teal'c answered seriously. "I believe you should be the one to tell her. You are the best when dealing with Tauri emotions."

"You're a coward too, Teal'c."

"I am not, Daniel J -"

"Yes you are. A big chicken. _Fine_! I'll tell her, because I care about her and I care about Jack – and that's what friends do!" He lifted his head, full of righteous indignation, and moved more quickly to the Stargate.

Crap – he was really not looking forward to telling Sam that they'd lost Jack. Maybe he should call Jacob and have _him_ tell her.

He sighed and looked back at his two companions. All of them looked extremely worried. This was looking really bad.

For a moment – just a brief moment – Daniel thought about _not_ stepping through the Stargate, and letting Dixon and Teal'c deal with everyone. But with a grimace he knew that wasn't right. Instead he stepped forward into the event horizon.

"Jack, you'd better be here when we get back!"


	21. It Sucks

_**Impressed? Four chapters (yes four) in 4 days. I'm on a roll folks. Thank you to all my lovely reviewers - you guys are amazing and I do this for you. One teeny complaint however - I've been whipping out chapters and really feel I need more reviews as a result (yes, I'm shameless). So, if you want me all to continue this streak - please, pretty please - send a review!**_

 _ **And now ... on to the next cliche!**_

"What? You _lost_ him? How the hell could you lose him, and what does that even _mean_?" She looked between Teal'c, Daniel, who had told her, and Dixon. None of them would quite meet her eye. "What the hell happened – Sir," she finally asked Dixon.

"We don't know Major. It's just like Dr. Jackson said. One moment he was there, the next he wasn't. Look, we didn't _do_ anything. It was that city."

"Daniel?"

"Dave's right Sam. It was the city. We tried to stop him from going in but he – uh"

"He _what_?"

"He shot Teal'c with his Zat and tied him up."

"He – _Jack_ shot Teal'c?"

"He did Major Carter," Teal'c told her. "But I can assure you, he was not in his right mind."

"He wasn't -" Samantha slowly sank into her chair. "You mean there was something wrong _before_ he disappeared?"

"The city affected him," Daniel said gently. "It obviously recognized his Ancient gene. Look, I know you're upset, but the important thing is we have to get back and find him. I'm going to stay and translate the words from the obelisk and Dave and Teal'c are going back with another team."

"I'm going too," she said calmly.

"Uh – I don't think General Hammond is going to allow that Sam," Daniel said gently.

Sam stood up, her face and body transforming into soldier mode. "I'll deal with the General. Get everything ready. I'll be with you as soon as I can."

* * *

"Sir, I need to be there. I'm the one that has the best chance of figuring it out. You _know_ that."

"I understand Major, but pregnant women -"

"Damn it General! This is _Jack_ we're talking about. The _father_ of this child. I need to be there. And Teal'c assures me that pregnant women have been using the Gate for millennia with no problem. Please General. I have to go."

Hammond sighed and looked down at his desk. It was true that Major Carter had the best chance of figuring things out – if there were alien technology involved, that was. But from what Colonel Dixon, Dr. Jackson and Teal'c had said – there was nothing there but the Ancient obelisk. And Jackson was in process of trying to translate that.

He sighed again. But if he _didn't_ let her go, she'd wear herself out with worry. Damn but these were the times that he hated the stars on his shoulder. "All right Major, you can go. But -" he held up his hand as she was to speak. "I'm sending Dr. Lee with you and I want your promise that you won't go too hard. I'm going to ask Teal'c to watch out for you and if he feels you are pushing yourself too much, he is under my orders to send you back. Is that understood?"

"Yes Sir – thank you. And don't worry. I'm going to take care of this baby, but I also have to help its father."

"I understand Sam. And good luck. You know we're all anxious to get him back."

"I know Sir."

Sam hurried from the General's office to gather up all the things she needed. She couldn't allow herself to think too hard – not about the fact that Jack could be – no, she wasn't going to go there. He _had_ to be okay. They were just starting their life together and he couldn't go and get himself –

"Sam!" Janet Frasier stepped into the hallway and walked beside her friend. "What's this I hear about you going to the planet?"

"Don't try and dissuade me Janet. The General has already given me permission."

"I'm not. I just want to make sure you look after yourself – and that baby. I'm going to put together a first aid kit and some vitamins and nutritious snacks and one of my nurses is going with you. She'll watch out for you – and for everyone. And in case Colonel O'Neill is hurt -"

"He's okay Janet," she said sharply.

"I know honey – but just in case."

"Okay fine. I'm sorry Janet – I have to go."

"Okay. You look after yourself – and find him!" Janet watched as Sam hurried down the hallway, sighing to herself. "Oh honey – I hope for your sake he's all right."

There were nine of them on the return trip – just three hours after the original team, sans Jack, had returned. Dixon and Teal'c were returning, along with Sam, Dr. Lee, Nurse Penny Johnson, and Sg3. Daniel had remained behind to continue to try and translate the encryptions on the obelisk. He had taken pictures of all of them before returning to Earth.

"Did you notice any kind of power surge or geomagnetic interference before he disappeared?" Sam asked Dixon.

"No. The only thing that happened was the buildings glowed so brightly we couldn't see anything. There was no – wait, just at the moment the lights were brightest, I remember hearing -", he paused.

"What Colonel?"

"You'll think I'm crazy, but – I heard a laugh. A crazy laugh you know – like something out of a -" he stopped again.

"Out of a -?"

Dixon sighed. "A horror movie. I'm sure it was just my imagination."

Sam certainly hoped so. She didn't want to even think of Jack in some kind of horrible scenario. God, she prayed he was okay, that he'd been transported somewhere and was making his way back to her – to them.

But what if he was transported to another _planet_? No – no that couldn't happen. He was nowhere near the Stargate and she was pretty sure an obelisk wouldn't send someone across the galaxy. At least she hoped not. One never knew about those Ancients, though.

By the time they reached the city she was slightly out of breath. She was healthy and used to physical activity, but the baby was bigger now and it made it harder to walk briskly. She noticed Nurse Johnson keeping her eyes on her – but so far she hadn't said anything.

They were a couple of hundred meters out, when Dixon stopped. "Does that look like what I _think_ it looks like?" he asked.

Everyone peered ahead, but it was Teal'c who answered. "The city is beginning to glow. It is much fainter than with O'Neill, but it is definitely there."

"That's what I thought," Dixon sighed. "Any ideas as to why that would be? As far as I know, none of us have Ancient blood, unless you've been holding out on us Reynolds?"

"Not me," the other Colonel shook his head.

It was Lieutenant Bosco of Sg3 who figured it out. "The baby," he exclaimed.

Sam turned to him quickly. "What do you mean?"

"The baby – it's Colonel O'Neill's right?"

"Of course," she frowned, wondering what he was getting at.

"Well, the baby has obviously inherited the Ancient gene from him and the city recognizes that."

"Oh my God," Sam said, placing her hand protectively on her stomach.

"Samantha should return to the Stargate," Teal'c said quickly. "We do not know what will happen."

"No – I'm not going back! Maybe we'll be able to figure things out because of this."

"But Sam," Reynolds said. "What if you disappear too?"

"Then at least I'll know what happened to Jack," she said defiantly.

"What if we compromise," Dave Dixon said. "We'll make sure and stay close and if she starts acting strangely, we'll hot foot her back to the Stargate. I mean, the glow is way less so maybe nothing will happen."

They conferred for the next few minutes, but finally everyone agreed that Sam could go forward. She had the greatest likelihood of figuring things out – not just because of her familiarity with alien technology, but because she was just plain brilliant.

With that decided, Dixon and Sg3 split up to search the city while the scientists, Nurse Johnson and Teal'c set up Sam's equipment on the edge of the square by the obelisk. She immediately began a scan of the area. Soon she was immersed in her science and her worry about Jack, although always present, managed to move to the background for a while.

* * *

As soon as his teammates had returned to Earth, Jack had wandered around the edge of the city, looking at it from every side and angle. For some reason – which he didn't want to name – he was hesitant to enter into the city proper. There was something _off_ about the place. What it was he couldn't tell – but he didn't like it.

And that took him back to thinking about himself. He too felt off. It wasn't that he _felt_ invisible – not that he'd know how that felt exactly, but he certainly felt solid to his own touch. And he could interact with the city. He felt the walls and the floor and couldn't put his hand through any of the buildings. But still, he didn't feel like he was all quite _present_. His body felt weird, tingly and not like himself. He kicked a stone that was lying on the ground and – his foot when right through it.

He sighed. Now why the hell had that happened? Why could he interact with some things, and not with others? What sadistic Ancient had done this?

After having done a complete walk around the perimeter of the city he finally stopped and looked down one of the streets. He let out a small groan. If he was going to figure this out he had to investigate. Being a coward and skulking around the edge wasn't going to take him anywhere except to crazy.

" _Come on Jack,"_ he muttered to himself. " _Get your ass in gear."_ With a deep breath he turned inward and within seconds was walking down a narrow, dark street. It was bordered, on either side, by one-story buildings. He figured they must have been people's homes – simple and small but neatly designed. He walked into a few of the ones that were more or less intact although most of them had crumbled until there was little left but the outline of the outer walls.

Inside the intact ones there was nothing – nothing but some broken stones from crumbling walls. Anything and everything else had been removed or had deteriorated over time. He wished he'd asked Daniel how old he thought the place was.

Forty-two thousand eight hundred and sixty-two Earth years and forty-seven days, popped into his brain. " _What_?" He glanced around. He was pretty sure no one had spoken, so why had that number appeared in his mind. He shook his head. He was imagining things.

He turned left at the end of the street, deciding to see if the library had fallen apart or whether it was still there. He'd walked almost a whole block before he realized what he'd been thinking. How did he know about the library? How did he even know there _was_ a library or where it was? This whole thing was really starting to bother him. Thoughts and knowledge were popping into his mind and he had no idea how. It's not like he'd stuck his – oh crap! _Had_ he stuck his head into a sucky thing and just didn't remember? Maybe they'd arrived at the city and he'd seen one of those things and had had an irresistible desire to put his head into it again.

" _No way O'Neill!"_ he said out loud. If he'd seen one of those things he would have run away, screaming. It was _not_ an occurrence he wanted to repeat. Although meeting the Asgard had been cool.

But no. He did not get another download because his brain felt just fine, thank you very much. He just knew a couple of things he shouldn't. That's all. And he could still think and talk in English. At least he thought he could. What if he was speaking Ancient and he didn't know. It's not like there was anyone there to tell him. Oh shit!

" _Oh thank goodness,"_ he exclaimed, a moment later, when the library came into view. On the outside it was a non-descript building, but he knew it contained the knowledge that all his people had accumulated over millennia.

Wait – not _his_ people. The Ancients! So he had a little tiny gene. It didn't mean he was _related_ to them – not really. It was just a fluke. One of his ancestors had had a fling and the result was he, Jack, could made things glow and it caused him to get his head, and now apparently his whole body, sucked into things he really didn't want to get sucked into.

He entered the building and could immediately feel _something_. He shook his head but that didn't stop it. Instead he was drawn over to the console – a flat surface that didn't look like anything at all until he put his hand down. Then the whole thing lit up like a Christmas tree. He grinned. Things were looking up. He suddenly felt hopeful, where a minute ago he'd been pretty – what? Depressed? Afraid? Pissed? Yeah, all three.

It should have felt strange – should have, but didn't. Unlike regular Earth libraries, this one had all its information stored in a kind of supercomputer. All he had to do was think what he wanted and the knowledge basically popped into his brain. Or downloaded into it – he frowned. He was pretty sure he was only accessing small bits of information this time, not like the time he'd downloaded the whole library. This he could handle …. he hoped.

" _So, what do you need_?" he asked himself. " _Hmm_ , okay library, why am I invisible?"

The information began to flood into his brain. He saw his people – the Ancients – and their quest for knowledge. He watched as they explored, as they seeded the universe. He saw, and understood, how they build the Stargates – it was so simple. How could he not have known?

He continued to see them, as their civilization progressed. They were a great people, a brilliant people. But then he felt, rather than saw, the moment they began to be dissatisfied with what they had. Many felt they couldn't learn any more – there was nothing left, in this universe, for them to discover.

Contentment fled and in it's place – anger, resentment, dissatisfaction. Turmoil as people no longer wanted what they had. Instead they looked for something different, for something greater, for something beyond their reality.

They looked to leave the universe and move to a new plain of existence, a greater one.

And that's what this planet was all about.

Jack gasped and pulled his hand back. He was dizzy and sweating and more frightened than he ever had been.

" _God damn it! I've ascended!"_

* * *

"Damn it!" Sam wanted to scream. Nothing seemed to be working right and so far she hadn't found a thing that would explain what had happened to Jack. There were no readings whatsoever from the stupid obelisk. She wanted to go over and kick it. No, she wanted to take a mallet and smash the thing to smithereens. She wanted to break it into a thousand pieces and throw the pieces into space. She _hated_ the damn thing.

"Major Carter." She started and looked around, and then felt foolish when she realized it was her radio. She had left it on the field table with her scanner. She rushed over and picked it up. "Colonel! Have you found something?"

"I believe so Major Carter," Dixon replied. "There appears to be some kind of Ancient technology in one of the buildings. I'm sending Reynolds back to your position. He'll bring you here."

"Thanks Colonel, I'll be ready."

"I shall accompany you," Teal'c told her. He'd been her shadow all day – something which normally would have driven her crazy, but right now, right here, made her feel safe. She also knew that Teal'c was as determined to find Jack as she was.

"Dr. Lee," she called over to the scientist who was on his back, beside the obelisk, trying to find something, _anything_ that might give them a clue. Sam knew it was hopeless. There was nothing there.

"Yes Major?"

"Sg3 have discovered some Ancient technology. I'm going to go with Teal'c and check it out. Can you stay here and continue to examine the obelisk."

"Of course," Lee answered, although he didn't look too happy. She didn't blame him. At least Nurse Johnson was there to help him and give him some company. And she had to smile a little bit. She was sure that Dr. Lee was smitten with the pretty nurse.

Little did Sam – or the others – know that they had just found the Ancient library – the very one that Jack had already discovered. In fact, he had left it moments before Sg3 appeared but had wandered to the far side of the city, unaware that anyone had returned.

* * *

"Oh my God!" Daniel sat staring at the page in front of him. He'd just managed to translate – albeit roughly – one whole panel of the obelisk. He grabbed the paper and headed for the door. He had to see the General.

"Come," Hammond called. He'd been sitting at his desk, trying to get through paperwork that needed to go to Washington. The Air Force ran on paperwork. Unfortunately, his mind was not on his task. He couldn't stop thinking about Jack and praying that they'd find him. It was as he was sitting, staring at the wall in front of him that a knock sounded on the door. A moment later Daniel Jackson entered.

"Dr. Jackson. Have you discovered something?"

"Yes, yes I have. And I'm afraid – it's not good news."

Hammond briefly closed his eyes, and then he opened them and spoke calmly to the archaeologist and linguist, who had become such an important part of the Stargate program. "What is it?"

"I think I know what happened to Jack."

"And?"

"Well, according to the obelisk – and I've only translated part of it so far – the planet was settled as a place of attainment for the Ancients."

Hammond frowned. "Attainment? What does that mean?"

"Well, it's a place for spiritual enlightenment and – uh – attainment."

"Dr. Jackson, please. Speak plainly."

"Well, we know that the Ancients are no longer with us because they – supposedly ascended to a higher plain of existence."

"Yes, that's what the theory is."

"Well, this planet is where they made that happen."

"What? Dr. -"

"They went there to _ascend_ General. At least, that's what the writings say. I think - that's what's happened to Jack."

Hammond looked at him blankly for all of twenty seconds. At the end of that time he blinked and shook his head. "What?"

"The planet was developed as a place where Ancients could go who wanted to leave this universe. It was there to help them on their journey – to assist them. According to the writings, those "most worthy will cause great light to shine and will be transported to a place of beauty and glory. They will leave behind their mortal body, and their soul will be one with the universe."

"And you think this means – but Jack's body wasn't found."

"No, at least we haven't found it and maybe we never will. Hopefully we won't. But I think -"

"You think he's out there, somewhere, on another plain of existence? What the hell does that mean Dr. Jackson?"

"I think it means – he's experiencing something wonderful. I think he's experiencing things most of us never will. I'm almost envious of him."

* * *

" _Damn, damn, damn_!" Jack shouted. He hated this! He was alone except for the eerie noises he kept hearing. Sometimes he thought he even saw shadows flitting around corners and just out of his sight.

He was bored and scared and he didn't know what to do. He'd been ascended without his permission and now he was stuck – forever it seemed – in some kind of hellish limbo. And he couldn't even leave the confines of the city.

Which suddenly made him wonder where everyone else was. If this had been a place to ascend and if Ancients had flocked here, where were they now? Why weren't they wandering around like him?

Unless they knew what they were doing and had figured out how to leave this place. He'd have to go back to the library and find out more.

He headed back, although he really didn't want to go. He basically wanted to sit down and throw a tantrum. But if he was going to get out of this he had to have all the information he could find. It was only as he approached the library that he saw people dressed in BDU's. He breathed a huge sigh of relief. They hadn't forgotten him. He just hoped one of them would figure out how to _un_ -ascend him - or was it _de-_ ascend? He sighed. Whatever – he just wanted his life back.

The next thing he knew, he was standing right beside Dixon and Lieutenant Bosco and Major Peterson. " _Whoa, that was weird."_ It seemed as though all he had to do was wish something and he was there. Teleportation! He snickered. He had two superpowers now – although they didn't do him much good. " _Stargate_ ", he said suddenly. Of course, nothing happened and he remained where he was.

Well, at least Dixon had brought Sg3 back with him. He was all of Sg3 except Reynolds. He wondered where he was.

Oh well - way to go General! Sg3 was great and along with Sg1 were sure to figure things out. He hoped.

"It's really strange Sir," Bosco was saying. "There's no evidence the Colonel was even here. What could have happened to him?"

" _He got sucked by Ancient "Screw-with-O'Neill" technology,"_ Jack informed them, although of course they couldn't hear.

"I don't know Lieutenant," Dixon said, "but we're not going to give up till we find him."

" _I always did like you Dixon. I'm gonna take you out and buy you a steak and as many beer as you want when we get home."_

"O'Neill is gonna owe me big time though," Dixon grinned. "I'm not gonna let him forget I had to rescue his butt – again."

" _Again_? _Since when did you - okay, maybe once or twice, but I seem to remember returning the favor a few times. Still, I will owe you for this Dave. Ascension ain't what it's cracked up to be!"_

"Here comes Major Carter," Peterson said softly. "This must be hard on her."

" _Sam is here?"_ O'Neill whipped around, to see Sam walking with Reynolds, followed by Teal'c. Oh God – it was so good to see her. He wanted to rush up to her and throw his arms around her, but knew it would do no good. Shit, double shit! He _hated_ the damned Ancients.

"What did you find?" she asked as she got to the front of the library.

"We don't know Major – just that it looks like there's some kind of – well technology, maybe. It's the only place we've found with anything in it."

"Okay, let me see." As she stepped closer the slight glow of the buildings increased. Teal'c reached out and took her arm.

"Major Carter!"

"I know Teal'c. I see it too. I'll be careful, I promise."

" _What?"_ What was happening? Jack looked around and only then noticed the glow. What the hell? What was causing - ?

"I shall remain with you Samantha," Teal'c told her. "I will protect you and your child."

"You're sure you're okay with this Major?" Dixon asked. "We don't know what will happen with you carrying the Ancient gene."

" _Ancient gene? Sam doesn't – oh crap! The baby. Go back Sam! Don't go in there. No!"_ There was no way in hell his woman and child were going to get sucked into whatever hell he was in. He ran up to her and tried to grab her, to prevent her from entering the library, but of course he couldn't. His hands went right through her.

" _Damn it!"_ he shouted to the wind. " _Why are you doing this? What the hell was wrong with you people! You will_ _ **not**_ _take my child!"_ He watched in despair as Sam walked into the building. Fortunately, the glow didn't change and it was much less than it had been with him. Hopefully she'd – _they'd_ be okay.

He followed her in – actually walking right into and through Teal'c, which was weird – and watched as she looked around the room. She had one of her doohickeys out and was scanning everything.

He wanted to point her in the direction of the console, but had no way of doing so. It wouldn't be obvious to anyone although he trusted that eventually she'd find it. He wondered if she – or any of them – could turn it on.

" _Sam, over here,"_ he motioned to her when she turned the wrong way. Crap! He hated this. " _SAM,"_ he shouted. That did nothing although he thought he heard that damned laugh again.

He sighed and went over to the wall and slid down it until he was sitting. It's not that he was getting tired – he'd discovered he didn't _get_ tired. But it was a change from standing.

He sat back and watched as the woman he loved tried to save him. He only prayed she could do it.


	22. Company of Ghosts

_**And the roll continues … number 5!**_

On the second night on the planet Sam cried herself to sleep. She hadn't been able to find anything to tell them what had happened to Jack. Nor had she been able to activate any of the Ancient technology.

Jack watched her, wanting to rail at the universe for having done this to them. He wanted, more than anything in the world, to be able to hold her, to comfort her. Instead all he could do was be a silent and invisible by-stander. He could watch her suffer but couldn't do anything about it.

He moved beside her and squatted down until he was beside where she lay. He put his hand out – but unable to touch her or be touched, he drew it back.

" _I'm so sorry my love,"_ he said softly. Eventually he lay down beside her – as close as he could get without actually – not touching – but being in her physical space. He watched as she cried, her hopeless tears driving spikes into his soul. He finally reached out, his fingers lingering by her cheeks. " _It's okay my darling,"_ he said softly. " _I'm here."_

Of course that didn't help. She couldn't hear him or see him and he again wanted to scream. Instead he stayed with her all night, even after she finally fell into a troubled sleep.

And he talked to her. He began to tell her things about himself, his life – things he might never have told her if she had been able to hear him. He spoke about his childhood – about the hard times growing up poor, with a single mother. He talked about his grandfather, the one who owned the cabin in Minnesota, and how he had loved and eventually saved a young boy who was headed for trouble. How he'd shown him the way to honor and self-respect and service.

He talked about his youth, learning to fly jets and hanging with the guys, a young man looking for adventure and meaning in life. And then he'd met Sara and had fallen in love. Then his life suddenly had real meaning. Together the two of them had lived life to the fullest until Charlie was born. Then it was even fuller.

Haltingly he told her of losing his son – the agony, the desire to die himself. And he told her of meeting Daniel – the geek – and going to Abydos to die. But then that geek had saved his life and had brought meaning back into it.

And he told her about meeting this smart young officer – the one with a chip on her shoulder – but the heart of gold. And he confessed how he'd slowly fallen in love with her, even though he'd known it was hopeless. And then, and then he told her of his happiness at finally having his dream come true – to find that she loved him too and was going to bear him a child.

All of these things he told her, as he lay beside her. It wasn't only the first night. No, it took many nights. During the day she worked tirelessly to try and bring him back. At night, each night, she cried. It was then that he spoke to her, that he told her all his thoughts and feelings. He only wished she had been able to hear him.

On the seventh night she no longer cried. She lay there silently – her eyes empty of hope, her body exhausted from working to save him. He reached out and once more – for the hundredth time – tried to touch her.

" _Sam, you have to stop. It's enough – you've tried but – it's not going to happen."_ He stopped and took a deep breath. " _Oh my love, I'm so sorry. But you must be happy – please? Look after our little one. Tell him or her about me, that I loved our child with everything in me, just as I loved you. But then, I want you both to be happy, to have joy in life. Don't morn me too long."_ He couldn't continue as the tears rolled down his face.

One last time he reached out – knowing he couldn't feel her – but he somehow had to let her know, let _them_ know. He reached out and laid his hand over her belly.

And felt – " _whoa!"_ He didn't know what had just happened, but he was sure he'd felt the baby kick. He must have been imagining things. It was what he wanted, he told himself.

But then Sam put her hand on her stomach. "Is that you little one," she said softly. "Do you feel your Daddy with us?"

Jack stared and then put his hand out again. This time he was sure – he felt that kick.

Sam sniffed and then laughed softly. "You do feel him, don't you? You know he's here, somewhere." Then her face crumpled and she began to cry again. "Oh Jack – where are you? I miss you so much."

The next day they left.

He had known it was coming, of course he had. There was no way Hammond could let them stay indefinitely. And they'd tried everything, had looked everywhere but had made no progress. They couldn't find him.

Daniel had returned and told them what he had found. It hadn't helped in their search and, in fact, had taken away any real hope they'd get him back.

And so, eventually, they had to return to Earth. Sam had argued – had yelled and cried and begged – but in the end she had to go with them. She vowed to return. She called out her promise that she wasn't going to leave him, that she'd find a way.

"I love you Jack!" she'd shouted. "And I'm going to find you." The others had looked away – embarrassed yet touched by her devotion. Teal'c had put his arms around her and had practically carried her away.

Jack sat on a stone fence at the edge of the city and watched as the woman he loved and his friends and teammates left him alone, to wander aimlessly for what he thought might be eternity.

The first little while he simply walked – empty of all thought. There was no respite because he did not sleep. It seems his body – or maybe it was his soul, he didn't know – didn't need anything to survive.

He didn't need to eat or drink or sleep. And the strange thing was, he didn't miss any of those things. Oh, intellectually he knew that eating was pleasurable, and he could remember _liking_ to eat and drink, but now his body didn't even think of it. And the only reason he missed sleeping is that it would have given him time away from thinking about his hellish situation. As it was, he never had a moment, a second when he wasn't aware.

One day he'd tried running, hoping to exhaust himself enough to stop thinking. That hadn't worked. He'd literally run from sunrise to sundown and by the end felt no different than if he'd been sitting in a chair, resting all day. He didn't get tired.

At one point he tried to discover if he could harm himself. He figured that there might come a time, after he'd given up total hope, that he would want to kill himself.

Unfortunately, he realized that wasn't going to happen. He had tried to cut himself by using a sharp piece of stone broken off from one of the buildings. As hard as he had tried he had been unable to even break the skin. Next he'd climbed to the highest building (which wasn't actually that high) and had thrown himself down. He ended up with not a mark on him.

So, it seemed that he couldn't die.

That left – eternity. At that point he'd sat down and sobbed out his despair and fear.

The next day he decided to check out the library again. Maybe, just maybe the answer was there. If not, at least it would keep him occupied. How long it would take to go through everything, he had no idea. But for now it gave him something to do.

After a while he began to lose track of time. He spent almost all his time in the library, allowing it to download information to his brain. He found much of it fascinating, but also found it rather disconcerting. For unlike learning the old-fashioned alive-in-a-real-human-body way – which required work and study, here, as soon as he received the information he knew it.

At first that had been exciting but after a while he realized it took a lot of the fun out of learning. There was no effort involved, therefore no pride in having learned something new.

But his knowledge did increase. He now knew things he hadn't even known he _didn't_ know. Daniel and Sam – god, Sam – would love this, he thought. Not only could he explain how the Stargate worked, he knew how many things in the universe operated. He figured he was now able to cure diseases, increase the ability of humans to explore the galaxy as well as all sorts of impractical yet fascinating things.

He had no idea how long he spent in the library. He became so consumed by the things he was learning – or that were being "downloaded" that it could have been hours or even days spent inside. If he had paid attention to the cycle of days he would have known, but often he left the library not knowing if it was the same day or weeks later.

" _That's what not getting hungry or needing to sleep does to you O'Neill,"_ he muttered to himself.

A part of him was glad that he really didn't care about not eating or sleeping. It would have been impossible anyway, as there was no water or food here, and he probably wouldn't have been able to touch it anyway. But there was one thing, or perhaps two, that he missed so fiercely he felt it as a physical pain, and that was human contact. He desperately needed to touch and be touched, to _talk_ to someone and have them talk back. He didn't want to be alone, not anymore.

" _Sam, Daniel, Teal'c – please come back,"_ he whispered to himself.

And he had to stop that. He shook his head and started walking faster. He was starting to talk to himself way too much. Pretty soon he'd sound as if he were …

… crazy.

He swallowed and started running. It's not as if he could go anywhere, but somehow it made him feel slightly better.

" _Ha!"_ he laughed bitterly. He could pretend it did, but in reality nothing made him feel better - because he was slowly going insane. He had finally admitted it to himself. And there was not a damned thing he could do about it.

He didn't know how long it would take, but it was going to happen. There was nothing he could do to stop it. His only hope was that when it happened, he would lose awareness and exist in a state that allowed him not to _know_.

Except he was pretty sure that wasn't going to happen either. Because he'd discovered what the laughter and the noise was all about.

He'd wondered what had happened to all the Ancients who had supposedly ascended. Well some, if not all, were still here. And they were stark, raving mad.

There weren't too many of them, at least not that he could tell. He thought maybe five or six at the most.

He'd actually realized what the noises were when he'd walked in on one of them in the library.

It was a woman – or had been a woman. At first sight she was beautiful. She was young, with long, dark hair. Her face was clear and her body – from what he could see under her long dress, was lithe and attractive. And then he had seen her eyes.

They weren't empty –no, that would have been a blessing. Instead they were full of anguish and horror like he'd never, ever seen.

She had taken one look at him and then had let out the most horrible moan he had ever heard. The next moment she was screaming – a long, continuous scream that made him want to cover his ears and run.

Instead he'd stood there staring, his mouth hanging open and his heart sinking to his knees. _This_ is what he had to look forward to. He'd known it instantly.

Before he had time to assimilate the horror of that thought, the woman had rushed at him, her hands held up like claws. He backed away quickly, expecting to feel her nails rake his skin. But all he'd felt was a faint breeze as she'd passed right through him.

So he couldn't even touch one of the other ascended ones. Great!

Over the course of the next – days?, weeks?, months? – he didn't know how long, he ran into each of the others. There were four women and two men, at least that he'd seen. They were all insane.

Great! He was surrounded by a bunch of crazy ghosts. And he was going to be one soon.

That day he tried to kill himself again. It didn't work.


	23. Deep Dark Chamber

**_Thank you my lovely reviewers. This chapter (extra long) is for you. Enjoy_**

They kept her from losing hope. Daniel and Janet, General Hammond and Walter, Siler and all the other Sg teams – and especially Teal'c – all of them made sure she believed that Jack would return.

Teal'c, more than any of the others, made her believe. He stated calmly that "O'Neill is not dead and he shall return to us. You must have faith Samantha Carter." And because of him – and because she too felt he was alive, she did.

O'Neill had officially been declared MIA, something the General hated to do but he'd had no choice. Sam understood that, but still had spent many hours crying when she'd heard.

But the General had also been incredibly forgiving of the fact that she did little other than try and find ways to bring him back. The other scientists, Chloe, Felgar, Dr. Lee, and all the others, covered for her in a multitude of ways. Hammond knew – of course he did – but didn't say anything for which she would be eternally grateful.

Daniel and Teal'c were forced to return to duty and ended up working with various teams, depending on what was needed. But even then their duty roster was light, leaving them more time to study or investigate. Sam was sure that Daniel had read, and reread everything ever written about the Ancients.

He hadn't found anything that would help.

They had, of course, gotten in contact with the Tokra, to see if they knew anything. The only answer they'd received was that their people were too busy to help, but they offered their sympathies for the loss of such a fine warrior as Colonel O'Neill.

She officially hated the Tokra. And, she was sure that every man and woman on the base, including General Hammond did as well. She wouldn't want to be the Tokra, needing a favor from the Tauri anytime soon. She was sure the only thing they would receive was George Hammond's boot in their collective ass.

Of course she didn't include her father in her dislike of the Tokra but she was still angry at him. He was nowhere to be found. All they were told, again, was that he was on a mission and they would inform him when he returned. He hadn't returned.

So each and every day she did whatever she could think of to – well _think._ There had to have been something they were missing. Jack had to be alive.

Daniel, although he didn't say anything to her, didn't actually think he was alive, at least not on this "plain". He was sure Jack had ascended. Only once had he tried to tell her that that was a good thing – that Jack had to be seeing and experiencing incredible things. Her response had let him know that _that_ was not something she ever wanted to hear again. Her Jack would hate that.

She overheard Daniel and Teal'c talking, one day, about Jack's ex-wife Sara. It seems he had missed the anniversary of their son's death. When he hadn't been at the cemetery, and hadn't contacted her, she'd grown worried. They informed her he was MIA. According to Daniel, she'd been in tears and had made him promise to contact her if they heard any news.

Sam felt badly for her. She suspected, although she would never actually know, that Sara still loved him. He hadn't spoken much of his ex-wife but she knew they'd had a good marriage before the death of his son. Right now she wasn't going to worry about it, but if he came back – no _when_ he came back, she was going to ask him about Sara.

But for now all her thoughts were on getting him back. Nothing else really mattered. Her friends kept her hoping and also made sure she looked after herself. It took her only a few days after returning from _that_ planet, to realize they were taking shifts to watch out for her. At first it irritated her, but after a while she grew to appreciate it. Always having someone there, to encourage her, to make sure she ate well and rested, made it possible to get through the days.

They also spoke to her of Jack, which meant everything to her. Some of the ones that didn't know her so well avoided mentioning him, thinking it would be hard for her. What was hard was _not_ talking about him. It made the possibility that he was gone too real. Instead, those closest to her told her stories she had never heard. Many times they had her laughing – sometimes crying, but always thinking about the man she loved.

She was working in her lab, not doing much of anything because she couldn't think of anything _to_ do, when she heard the claxons going off for another off-world activation.

At first, every time she had heard it, she had hurried to the Gate room, hoping, expecting that Jack would walk through the Stargate with a big grin, announcing he was back.

It hadn't happened so she had finally stopped going. If he hadn't made it home by now, on his own, she didn't think he would.

She was surprised, therefore, when her phone rang. It was Walter telling her that the General was asking to see her in the Briefing room. His voice let her know it _wasn't_ Jack, therefore she didn't care much who it was.

She walked slowly to the briefing room, just behind Daniel and Teal'c who had obviously both been called as well. Her curiosity was finally piqued.

" _Dad_!" she gasped as she walked in. Immediately her eyes welled up with tears and she practically threw herself at him. "Where have you _been_?" she said, bursting into loud tears.

Jacob looked up at George in distress. He'd never seen his daughter in such bad shape before. The other man gave him a look of sympathy and then gestured to Teal'c and Daniel. The three of them left.

"Hey, it's okay kiddo. Dad's here and we're going to figure this out."

She gasped something, in between her wails of anguish, so he continued to hold her and gently stroke her back.

It took a long time before she calmed down and he was able to let her go. He was heartsick to see her look of sadness and despair.

"Damn Tokra!" he murmured.

"What?" she hiccupped, looking at him in surprise.

"I said, damn Tokra! I should have been here months ago."

She took a shaky breath and then gurgled slightly. "What about – Selmak?"

"Oh, she's angry too."

"I am indeed Samantha," Selmak said a moment later, her eye's flashing. "It was shameful that we were not told about O'Neill."

"Yeah," Jacob said after he'd regained control, "You should have seen her give the High Council hell. They won't do this again, I promise."

"Good," Sam laughed again, although it was shaky and she was still half crying. "How long can you stay?"

"As long as you need me. I told the Council not to expect to see us anytime soon. So, let's sit down and you can tell me everything and then we'll see what we can do."

She knew her father couldn't perform miracles, but for some reason having him here – him and Selmak – gave her a renewed sense of hope. She felt herself regress to childhood, when her father _could_ do anything and everything.

"And we've come up with _nothing_ ," she cried. "Daniel thinks he's ascended and that he's happier there."

" _Jack_?" Jacob said caustically. "That would be the last thing he'd want. Can you imagine Jack O'Neill floating around the galaxy not doing anything?"

"No," she giggled. "That's what I thought, but Daniel -"

"Well, Daniel is – Daniel. I'm sure he'd enjoy it, but Jack, no, he's more a man of action. So we're just going to have to get him back."

"Can we Dad?" she asked achingly.

He wanted to lie to her, to tell her everything would be okay. It was his instinct to protect his little girl, to make life good for her. But he knew that those days were long gone and she'd faced reality for too many years now. So instead he sighed. "I don't know kiddo, but we're sure gonna try."

She nodded, more comforted by his words than if he'd lied to her. She knew there was only a remote chance that they could get him back now after so many months. But at least they were going to try.

"Selmak and I are going to go to the planet where this Ancient city is and see what we can find. Maybe there's something all of you missed."

"I'm going too," she informed him.

"No Sam. Look, you're almost nine months pregnant. There's no way you can go traipsing around the galaxy in your condition."

"My _condition_ is perfectly normal. I'm healthy and there are weeks before the baby is due. I'm going."

"Sam!"

"Jacob, can we come in?" Hammond was standing in the doorway, Teal'c and Daniel behind him.

"Of course George. I was just telling Sam that Selmac and I are going to go to the planet and see if we can discover anything your teams may have missed."

"I would go with you Jacob Carter/Selmak," Teal'c said.

"Me too," Daniel added. "And I'm sure Dave Dixon and the others would like to go too. They hated the fact that they couldn't find Jack."

Jacob's brows went up and he looked at the General. "George?"

"I think it's a good idea Jacob. The more people the better."

"And I'm going," Sam said softly.

"Major Carter, as much as I'd like to say yes, I'm afraid -"

"General," she interrupted. "I'm not going on a whim. I have an idea – and if I'm right I _need_ to be there."

He sighed and looked to the other men, who all looked back helplessly. Sam Carter was a hard woman to resist. No wonder Jack had fallen so hard. "What is you idea?"

After she'd told them there were a lot of objections, especially from Jacob. But she continued to argue her point until finally, the other agreed – reluctantly.

"But your father is in charge," Hammond told her. "If you're in any danger, any danger at all, he is allowed to bring you home."

"I understand Sir," she gave a crooked smile. "I don't want anything to happen to me or the baby either General but – I think this might be our last chance."

They all agreed. The next day they were to return to the planet.

Jack spent many days doing nothing but sitting. He'd fallen into a deep depression – one that he was pretty sure was going to be permanent.

He tried not to think of anything – but all that meant was he thought of everything. He thought about his friends, his son, his ex-wife. He knew he had missed Charlie's anniversary and hoped that Sara understood. He expected that someone had gotten in touch with her. Poor Sara. She'd had to put up with so much from him throughout her life.

And he thought of Sam. God, how she must be suffering. Why was it that just as they'd declared their love for one another, just as they were starting their lives together, this had had to happen. It was so god-damned unfair.

He pounded his hand against the wall, which did exactly nothing, which made him even angrier. He spent the next hour in a wild frenzy of anger – shouting, screaming, swearing and hitting everything in sight. At the end he felt no different than when he'd started.

When he finally calmed down again it hit him that he was in a pretty bad way. Yup – on a quick train to Craziville.

" _No shit, O'Neill_ ," he laughed – bitterly. But if he didn't get a handle on things, he'd go mad much sooner than he had to. He suddenly closed his eyes, a feeling of guilt washing over him. What was he _doing_? He'd already given up hope – and yet he knew that Sam, Daniel, Teal'c, Hammond – all of them – wouldn't give up on him – not yet.

He had to hold on.

For that reason he sat without moving, trying to quiet his mind. He took deep breaths and cleared his mind of anything bad. Instead he imagined himself at his cabin, sitting on the dock fishing. He could smell the fresh Minnesota air. He could feel the warm sun, the cool breeze. After a moment his mind and soul felt more at peace. He had to stay sane. There was still hope.

He hadn't been to the library for days after groing frustrated with it. As much knowledge as was there, there was nothing to show him a way out. He figured the others, the crazy ones, must have tried as well. Since they hadn't found anything he doubted he would. But he wasn't quite ready to give up.

He made his way slowly back to the building. He could have "thought" his way there, but the more time he spent on things the faster it went. Although why that mattered, when he had forever, he didn't know.

He sat at the console, thinking. What could possibly be here that might give him answers? He'd asked all the obvious questions, even down to simply asking how to return to his corporeal body. He'd gotten nothing. In fact, he was pretty sure that the library had been instructed _not_ to give that information as it had blacked out for a few seconds. The first and only time it had done that.

" _Didn't want people to find their way out, eh,"_ he'd muttered. " _Okay, fine. Then what else can you tell me?"_ He tried a number of other questions with no luck. He didn't really expect it. He'd spend many hours, days in here trying to find the answer.

He sighed and leaned back. Should he keep trying or simply accept his fate and give up?

" _Like hell_!" he said. " _I'm not giving up you bastards!"_ He grinned and stuck his tongue out at the console. It didn't accomplish anything but make him feel slightly better. He figured the Ancients would think he was childish but then, he didn't give a rat's ass _what_ they would have thought. They were all idiots, anyway.

That suddenly made him wonder exactly what they _were_ like. He didn't think he'd ever seen any pictures or drawings of an actual Ancient. He'd have to ask – no, he wasn't ever going to be able to ask Daniel anything again.

He sighed once more. "Hey library, show me what the people here looked like – and oh, how they lived. In fact, do you have any pictures of the city when people lived here?"

A moment later his mind was flooded with images. He could see people walking up and down the streets he knew so well. But now they were teaming with life. There were colors and _things_ everywhere. Men, women and even a few children moved up and down the streets. It was quite fascinating, and rather sad. He wondered how many of these people had suffered his fate.

He decided to go on a stroll through the town. The images were so real it felt like he was actually walking down the street. He peeked into rooms, rooms that were no longer empty but were full of furniture and people's possessions. He watched as people talked, and ate and drank. He caught one couple making love in the middle of the afternoon in their room – and for the first time was glad he was invisible. That would have been embarrassing.

It was fascinating to see the city as it was once. It had been a real place, with real people, not this present ruin full of ghosts and despair.

He saw the library, which was strangely deserted. .He wondered why few people were there. Maybe they'd already downloaded everything. He walked on, no longer paying close attention, but enjoying the sights and sounds of people talking, _living_.

He'd have to do this more often, he decided. Even if it wasn't real, it was better than walking around to complete emptiness.

Suddenly he turned a corner – to a dark alley that was quiet and still. He stopped. He didn't remember this place in his city of now. He looked around noticing the lack of doors and of people. He frowned. It seemed a rather strange place in the city so full of life. Oh well – every city had back alleys, he supposed. He shrugged and went to turn around when he noticed something out of the corner of his eye.

He turned back and walked forward until he saw it. It was a handle of some kind, set in the wall.

" _Why is there a handle and no door,"_ he murmured. He looked more closely, and suddenly saw the outline of a doorway. It was practically invisible, clearly built so as not to be seen. " _What the heck,"_ he said, pushing against the wall. Which did absolutely nothing, of course, since this was all in his mind. He rolled his eyes and stepped back.

He asked the library what this was but there was no answer. Oooh – intriguing. He thought he might just have stumbled on something he wasn't supposed to know.

A moment later he had left the library and was attempting to retrace his steps. It was difficult as the city looked so different now to what it had been. Many of the buildings had fallen down and the empty streets seemed different, the distances deceiving.

He spent hours, until it was almost dark, but couldn't find that alley. He knew he was close but still nothing. He decided to give up and return tomorrow, when it was daylight again, but then he turned once more and – there it was.

He was in the same dark alleyway, only now it was even darker as the sun was about to set. He quickly walked forward, praying that it was the same, that the handle would still be there.

It was.

With a deep breath he reached for it. He laughed when he realized how nervous he was. What was going to happen to him? It's not as if someone was going to hurt or kill him.

No, but you don't know what's on the other side, a little voice told him. With another deep breath he turned the handle.

Nothing happened for a few seconds and then – suddenly there was a sound of something – something that hadn't been disturbed for many years.

He swallowed and pushed and the door slowly, silently opened. Behind it was a dark tunnel, with stairs leading down as far as he could see.

A shiver ran up his spine. What if he walked in here and got trapped? As bad as this place was, at least he could go out into the sunlight and he had the library to keep his brain alive. But trapped in a tunnel for eternity? He almost turned around.

" _Don't be a coward Jack! There might be something here that you need to know."_

Okay then, he'd go in, but not before securing the door. He looked around until he found a piece of stone broken from a wall, and placed it in the doorway. He hoped it would hold.

With that he stepped forward, wishing he had a flashlight – or candle or anything to light his way.

Inside were narrow stairs, which wound down and down, how far he didn't know. Keeping his hand against the wall, he followed them into the bowels of the earth.

It felt chilly and damp, although he knew that was just his imagination. Since he'd ascended, or whatever it was, he hadn't felt any differences in temperature. He always felt the same, whether standing in the sun or sitting inside. But this place seemed like it should be damp and he imagined he felt moisture against his hand.

If it had been before, before ascension, he would have gotten dizzy as the stairs wound around tightly. As it was he simply wondered how far they went down and what would be at the end.

It was completely dark and he was only able to feel his way. It would be easy to fall, but that didn't matter as he knew he wouldn't be hurt. In fact, maybe he should simply throw himself down. He might get to where he was going quicker that way.

But he kept walking, kept moving down, circling around the stone stairwell. He laughed softly, wondering if he'd end up in China if he went far enough.

Just at the point when he decided he was in some kind of sick, never-ending stairwell, he saw a faint light ahead. It was a glow coming around the stairs, but it grew brighter as he moved. He'd become leery of glowing objects and wondered briefly if this had been a mistake.

But what worse could happen, he asked himself? His life was over anyway. At least this afforded a bit of interest to his day.

Without warning he rounded the last stair and ended up – in the largest chamber he'd ever seen in his life.

It was – beyond huge. He had lost track of how long he'd been walking, but it had been a long time. So now he looked up – and up. The ceiling was barely visible, at least twenty or thirty stories high.

And the chamber was vast. It had to have spread well beyond the boundaries of the city. It was at least the size of four or five football fields. It was also full of row upon row of shelves, stacked one on top of each other, all the way to the ceiling.

Although the room glowed, he discovered that the lights were coming from the floor and ceiling. The shelves themselves seemed dark – at least all but a very few of them were. A couple hundred meters down from where he was standing there was one small section that was lit. He decided to head towards it.

He stepped carefully, with no idea of what this place was. He had a feeling though – an eerie feeling, that he wasn't going to like it. It had the feeling of – of death. But it wasn't like a burial ground, but rather a place where something bad had happened.

He continued to walk, slowly, reluctantly, until he came upon the first row. He briefly closed his eyes, and then turned to look. He realized then that was he was seeing were vast rows of small chambers – small rooms. And in each was a body, lying naked on a table.

But the bodies were very clearly dead. The chambers must have been sealed, because the bodies were still intact, although they had mummified– how long ago he didn't know, but he suspected it had been millennia.

He was pretty sure he'd found the Ancient residents of the city and they clearly hadn't ascended.

He continued to walk along the first row, seeing dozens upon dozens of mummified bodies. When he saw some young children he flinched. It looked like an entire planet was here, all laid out, in this place of death.

He grew nearer to the lit area and stopped, too nervous to continue. He didn't know what he was going to see, but he was pretty sure he wasn't going to like it. This place had a feeling of evil about it – it was wrong and he had a terrible urge to flee.

But he knew he couldn't. This place held answers, he was sure of it, answers that he had to have. They might not change his fate, but at least he would understand and then, only then, maybe he could accept.

Just a few feet short of the first lit chamber he stopped and took a deep breath. It didn't do anything, as he wasn't real. He laughed softly, bitterly. No, he wasn't real. He was only a shadow – only a phantom left to wander for eternity.

" _Oh get a grip O'Neill,"_ he said to himself. He was getting way too morbid and over the top. _"Just look already. Nothing's going to jump out and bite you!"_ He hoped.

He stepped forward, and again. One more step and he turned. There, lying as if sleeping, was the same woman he'd seen in the city – the beautiful young woman who now haunted the city. She was insane, and she was a ghost.

" _No,"_ he whispered. He stepped forward to the next chamber. Lying there was a man, a young man, a man he'd seen – also a ghost, also insane. He continued to walk, recognizing all the bodies as the ghosts who existed with him.

It was no surprise then – although still a shock – to come upon the last body. He stopped and stared. He had known it as soon as he had entered this place, had known it but had refused to acknowledge it. But there, in front of him, was the proof.

For there, lying naked in an alien death chamber was – Jack O'Neill. He was staring at his own body.

"I can walk Dad," Sam said breathlessly.

"I know you can Sam, but you're not going to have to. We're bringing a vehicle with us. The others can walk and you and I will drive."

"But -"

"No 'buts' Sam – this was the deal. You have to do what I say, and I say we're driving. Honey, it's three miles to the city and you're over eight months pregnant. Don't be stubborn."

"Okay fine," she agreed with a small smile. In actual fact she was glad of the small vehicle. She really didn't know if she was up to a three-mile walk.

Teal'c, Daniel, Dave Dixon and Sg3 were all returning to the planet. They'd agreed to go ahead and prepare everything for Sam's arrival. She'd promised that she would go nowhere near the obelisk, as there was the danger she'd disappear like Jack. But she _would_ head to the library, where she hoped to be able to find out what they needed to know.

She didn't yet know if it would work, but she was hopeful. Only time would tell and she could hardly wait to get going.

Finally everything was ready. The guys had left and now she and her dad were ready to go. They said a final goodbye to General Hammond and Janet – who was not pleased she was going – and they headed off through the event horizon, driving in their small three-wheeled vehicle.

"We should take these on all our missions," Sam laughed as they exited. She was excited but nervous. She knew that this was their last chance to find Jack.

She became more tense the closer they got to the city. Soon she would be able to tell if she was right. Her hand was clenched tightly on her lap and she started when her father laid his over it. "It'll be alright Sam," he told her gently. "We're almost there."

And it quickly became clear that she had been correct. The city began to glow as she approached, and this time it was much brighter than before. She put her hand on her stomach. "Okay little one, it's up to you."

Jacob drove directly to the library, staying well away from the obelisk. They didn't really know if it had been responsible for taking Jack, but that was the theory. He just prayed that Sam would be safe by staying away from it. He would never forgive himself if anything happened to her.

She got out of the land vehicle slowly and carefully. She wasn't terribly big for how far along she was – it was her first pregnancy and she was tall. Still, she wasn't quite used to her new body and was being careful not to lose her balance.

Sg3 were standing on the steps of the library and Reynolds gave them a nod when they alighted. "Dr. Jackson and Teal'c are inside," he told them. "Dixon is checking the perimeter.

Sam thanked him and then entered. She immediately made her way to the main panel – that, at least, she'd discovered her last time here. As soon as she approached it and sat down she knew things were different this time. She reached out her hand and the panel sprang to life.

After Jack had discovered – himself – he'd had to take time to deal with it. Although how anyone _could_ deal with something like that, he didn't know. To say he was horrified was an understatement. It felt like his last bit of hope had ended when he saw his body, lying there like that. " _They could at least have given me a blanket,"_ he said, although that he was naked was the least of his worries.

This meant that he really was dead – or a ghost. He'd hoped that he was like Daniel had been during that crystal skull adventure – out of phase. He had prayed that Sam would figure it out and would zap him back into existence. But this – bringing him back from the dead – well that was beyond even her.

So he really was a spirit. He looked at his hands, turning them over. He didn't look any different and he felt like him – a bit different, but still him – but he wasn't. He was only the essence, not the form.

He did recover enough to try and see if there were any controls anywhere. Maybe he could turn the whole thing off and he'd fade out of existence. He wondered what had happened to most of the chambers, whether it was simply a mechanical failure, or if something malicious had broken them. Whatever it was, those people were the lucky ones. They were truly dead and gone. It was the handful of them, whose bodies were still in some kind of stasis, that were unlucky. The others had all gone mad after centuries, millennia of being spirits. And that was what waited for him, unless he could find the off switch.

After searching for what felt like hours, although he really didn't know, he decided to call it a day. He could come back again and do some more scouting around, although part of him debated whether it was worth it to return.

He'd discovered that he couldn't touch anything down here other than the floor. This place was off-limits to him as well.

The strange thing was, he couldn't enter into the chambers either, even though he couldn't touch or feel them. There was something keeping him out, but also keeping him from interacting with the space. He guessed that whoever had created it hadn't wanted the spirits to fuzz with their bodies.

He sighed and slowly headed towards the stairs, the sense of despair weighing him down so much he wanted nothing more to collapse into a ball and not move, ever again.

But instead he climbed. And as he took each stair all he could think was that he was in hell.

When he finally reached the surface it was daylight. He must have been inside for hours. Not sure quite what to do, he decided to head to the library. Maybe he could find out some more information, unless it too was prohibited.

It was only as he got closer that he realized. There was someone there – someone wearing the basic field uniform of the United States Air Force.

He began to run, for the first time in forever feeling a sense of hope. They'd come back!

" _Reynolds!"_ he called. _"How the hell are you doing?"_ He took the steps to the library three at a time and burst inside. He almost expected everyone to turn and look at him, but of course they didn't. They didn't even know he was there.

He saw Jacob, at first. The Tokra and former Air Force General, was standing over at the side, looking at one of the designs on the wall. Next he saw Teal'c and Daniel, who were speaking in soft tones. Finally – the person he'd been looking for.

" _Sam,"_ he whispered. He walked over to where she was sitting and knelt beside her. She was so beautiful! He noticed immediately how big she was – had he been gone that long? Her hair was longer than it had been, and there was a look of sorrow on her face. But she also looked strong and like she had refused to be broken by her loss. She hadn't given up hope, he realized. He smiled. " _That's my Sam!"_

It was only then that he noticed. She'd gotten the panel to work! It was on and she was looking through the information! How the hell – he glanced down to her stomach. The baby! The baby had grown and so she could now access the Ancient technology.

" _Oh god Sam, be careful,"_ he whispered. He didn't want her to get taken. He couldn't live with that if it happened.

"I wish I knew what to look for," she murmured. "If only you could give me a clue Jack!"

He wished he could. He wished, more than anything in the world, that he could tell her, explain to her. But she couldn't hear him, or see him. There was nothing he could – wait!

What about the library itself? He could go through the material so maybe he could manipulate it so that she could find what she needed. He didn't know if it would work, didn't know if she would understand, but he would try.

He faced the console in front of him. He'd spent days in this very spot and had gotten very good at looking through and organizing the material. Now all he had to do was give her a clue.

But how.

Suddenly, with determination, he started calling up files. He started with the city, zooming in on the alley with the secret door. Next he pulled up whatever information there was about ascension and what the Ancients were trying to do. There wasn't much, but even a little could help. Finally, he pulled up material about himself. He'd downloaded it one day when he was bored. And who knew – maybe someday someone would find it and remember him.

He sat back once finished, and hoped and prayed Sam would find the messages. There was nothing else he could do.

He continued to watch her while she worked, comforted by her presence. A few times he got up and went over to Teal'c and Daniel and listened to them. He hadn't realized quite how much he'd missed them.

He was heading over to Dixon, who had just arrived back, when he heard an exclamation from Sam. Turning quickly, he hurried over to her.

"Teal'c, Daniel, Dad, come here," she cried. She had her finger pointed at the screen – or hologram, actually. "Look, what do you see?"

"Uh – I don't know," Jacob said, peering intently at the image. "What am I looking for?"

"For something that wasn't there," Daniel said softly.

"What?" Jacob looked confused.

"This – see here," Sam pointed. "This alley didn't appear in any of our scans of the area, and yet it's here on the map. We need to check it out."

"We will Sam," Daniel cried. "Come on Teal'c."

"Wait!" Sam was looking again at her screen. When she lifted her head tears were running down her face.

"What's wrong Sam?" Jacob rushed over to her. "What is it?"

"It's him," she answered, smiling. "Jack. He's here."

"Here?" Jacob looked around and then down at Sam. "What do you mean?"

"I mean he's here – in the computer. He sent a message to say he was here."

"Uh – Sam, how do you know it was Jack," Daniel asked gently. "It could be the computer simply knew something about him"

"Okay, listen to this and tell me it wasn't Jack! "Jonothan "Jack" O'neill, a Colonel in the United States Air Force (Earth) was born in Minnesota, USA. You don't need to know what year. After an illustrious career in bicycle riding, fishing and hockey, he decided to pursue a career in the Air Force – because he wanted to fly jets. He served his country to the best of his ability. Although tragically losing his son, he continued on and today spends his time going through a Stargate to other planets. There he kicks the butts of evil aliens, especially the Goa'uld, with his trusty side-kicks Teal'c (a former Jaffa) and Daniel Jackson, resident geek and conscience.

Sg1 – the name of this team, used to have a forth member, Samantha Jean Carter. But then alien technology fuzzed with us and she is now having my baby. The bad news is she can no longer be on my team," Sam stopped here and sniffed and wiped her eyes. Then she continued. "The good news is, she is now my partner in life and I love her more than words can say. And if I can ever get back to her, I'll tell her every day how much I love her."

By the end of the text Sam was crying and the others all looked surprised – and touched.

"It's Jack," Daniel agreed.

"Indeed, it can be no other. But where is he?" Teal'c asked.

"I don't know, but I think this map might lead us there."

"Well then, let's go."

Jack was grinning as he watched all of them, except Sam and Jacob, leave the library.

"I want to go Dad," she said.

"I know. Let's wait until the guys find it, and then we'll go."

She smiled and nodded, and then turned to the screen and again read his biography.

He had been pleased with it when he wrote it – now he was happier than he could say. He could finally communicate.


	24. Lost and Found

_**Unfortunately, real life has a way of sneaking in. After last weekend hiking, relaxing and writing, I've had to return to my very busy job and hectic life so haven't had the same time to write. I haven't forgotten you, however, and have been working on this chapter – which I found really hard to write.**_

 _ **So, here it is. I'm not terribly happy with it, but after rewriting it a number of times decided I'd better go ahead and publish. Hope you enjoy…**_

Sam continued to look through the Ancient library, hoping to find more messages from Jack or any more clues as to what could have happened to him. She did find a few documents on ascension, but they really didn't tell her anything, other than the fact that the Ancients seemed obsessed with it.

"Where are you Jack," she murmured as she read document after document. It was frustrating that there wasn't anything else here, but it was better than waiting to hear from the guys. She had an ominous feeling that if they didn't find anything then this would be it.

The fact was, Jack was right beside her. At least his "essence" was. " _Yuck_. _There is no way in hell I am an essence,"_ Jack told himself. " _Ghost isn't much better. How about Phantom? Hey yeah, I can be "Phantom of the Ancient!"_ He thought about that for a moment and then grimaced. Being – not alive – did lousy things to his humor.

"Sam." Jacob walked over to her and put his hand on her shoulder. "Come on, you've been at this for almost two hours. You need to take a break."

"Dad, I'm sitting down reading. It's not exactly a strenuous activity."

"You're sitting on an uncomfortable stool – or whatever that thing is, with no back support. Come on, I brought a camp chair. You can relax and have something to eat and drink. Sam, don't argue!"

" _Good for you Jacob! You tell her."_

"Fine," she huffed. But the fact was, she _did_ need a break, but first she needed .. "uh – latrine?" she asked.

"Around the back," he told her. "We set up a camp toilet for you there. The guys hung a curtain around it."

"A camp toilet? Really?"

"Sam, you're almost nine months pregnant! Dave Dixon suggested it. He figured it would be hard for you to "make do." Just be grateful."

She sighed and headed slowly to the door. "Believe me, I am!"

Jack decided to follow her out – he wasn't about to let her out of his sight now, not after all this time. He did give her privacy though and didn't peek behind the curtain.

She was touched at how great everyone was being. She knew having her along was a burden, but none of them treated her that way. She was grateful for the friends and comrades she had. And she was _really_ grateful for the port-a-potty. Having to squat at this stage of pregnancy would not have been fun.

After a pee, a drink and a snack, in that order, she took a deep breath and closed her eyes. She had learned to meditate over the last few months, knowing she had to stay as relaxed as possible for the sake of the baby.

Just as she was allowing her mind to calm, she heard a crackling of the radio and Daniel's voice.

" _About time!"_ Jack grumped to himself.

"We found a doorway," Daniel said. "There are stairs leading down and Teal'c, and I are going to see what's there while the others remain up top. We'll let you know what we find."

"Thanks Daniel," Jacob said into his radio. "Be careful."

" _Yes! And Danny – don't fall! And oh –be prepared. You're gonna find a bunch of mummies and naked bodies down there. Just don't look at me too long, okay? Cause that would be kind of creepy."_

So now the real waiting began.

"Damn, its dark in there," Daniel said as he peered down the stairs. There was a 'click' and a light turned on.

"I suggest you use your flashlight also, Daniel Jackson."

"Good idea Teal'c. Why didn't I think of that," he said sarcastically as he pushed the button on the flashlight in his hand.

Even with two flashlights the stairwell was dark. It was also narrow, steep and the stone was slippery. Daniel shone the light against the wall and shivered. It reminded him of some gothic castle. He had a vision of a dungeon down below, with horrible -

"Be careful Daniel Jackson," Teal'c called over his shoulder, thankfully interrupting his creepy thoughts. "It is dangerous."

"Being careful," Daniel replied. "Good lord! How far down does this _go_ ," he said after they'd been descending for what felt like forever.

"I do not know," Teal'c replied. "I have not been here before."

"It was a rhetorical question Teal'c."

"I do not understand the usage of rhetorical questions," Teal'c said a few seconds later. "Why would one ask a question for which there is either no answer, or an answer everyone knows?"

"To make a – whoops!" Daniel stumbled and would have fallen except for Teal'c's hand, which reached out and grabbed him at the last second. "Thanks!"

"You are welcome. Proceed with caution."

"I'm trying. It's just so slippery." They walked for a few more minutes before Daniel spoke again. "Does this place give you the creeps?"

"Define "creeps," Teal'c asked.

"You know, the heebie jeebies, the willies, jitters, shivers, the screaming meemies."

He saw Teal'c stop and had to grin. Teasing the big guy was always a great way to distract himself.

"I do not believe that Jaffa suffer from these screaming meemies _or_ the heebie jeebies," his friend explained calmly. "We are immune to such things. They must be a Tauri phenomenon."

"You don't have a clue what they are, do you Teal'c?" Daniel laughed.

"I do not."

"I meant, doesn't this place seem – eerie, maybe even evil?"

There was a pause. "Yes. I have been feeling it for a while."

"So you _do_ have the heebie jeebies?"

There was a deep sigh. "If you say so, Daniel Jackson."

"Whoa!" Daniel almost slipped and fell into Teal'c again, but managed to hold on. "Teal'c, do you see -"

"Light." Teal'c stated.

"Yes! God, I hope this is the end. That was a long way down. And the worst part is we have to walk back _up_."

They took a couple of more turns until, almost without warning, they arrived in the underground chamber only recently vacated by O'Neill.

"Holy sh- "

" - It definitely gives me the heebie jeebies," Teal'c answered softly. "I do not like this place."

"No but – it's amazing Teal'c! Look at how huge this place is." Daniel stepped forward and clicked off his flashlight. He peered at the huge, underground room, lined with rows upon rows of chambers. He had never seen anything like it and it gave him a strange feeling.

"It is many times the size of the Ancient city," Teal'c agreed. "We must investigate."

"Yeah." Suddenly Daniel wasn't so excited. What he'd said earlier was true. This place did feel evil, even more so now that they were in the chamber. But they were here to find clues about Jack, and this was the most promising thing they had found so far. He just wished he didn't have such a bad feeling about all of this.

"We should radio the others," he said, "before we start exploring."

Teal'c nodded and tried calling Colonel Dixon but all he got was static. There was no reception and nor could he get through to any of the others.

"Great! We'd better hurry before they get worried and decide to send someone else down."

So Daniel and Teal'c set out, unknowingly following in the footsteps of the man they were trying to find.

"Kree Shak!" Teal'c exclaimed when they came upon the first body.

"Wh – whoa!" Daniel stared into the chamber, taking in the body on the platform inside. "God – what is this place," he whispered. He turned around and saw more of the chambers, all filled with dead bodies. "They're all mummified!"

"They have been here for many years," Teal'c agreed. "I have never seen such a place."

"But why? Do you think this is how they buried their dead? It's not like any burial place I've ever seen."

"It may be, I do not know. Daniel Jackson, is that not Ancient writing on the wall over there," he pointed to the base of the chamber wall, just beyond where they were standing.

Daniel hurried over and knelt down and then frowned at the writing – it was more of the old Ancient language. At least now he was growing more adept at reading it, although it still was not as easy as more modern Ancient. He shook his head lightly. He was even confusing himself. If Jack were here he'd – Daniel stopped that thought, briefly closing his eyes. God, if _only_ Jack were here. But then they wouldn't be here – which was even crazier. He had to -.

"Can you read it?" Teal'c interrupted his confusing thoughts. The former Jaffa kept his eyes roaming about the chamber, made uncomfortable by the silence and the "evilness" of the place. His symbiote was also finding it strange and was letting him know it by being unsettled.

"Oh. Yeah," Daniel returned his attention to the words and began to decipher them. "Oh my God, Teal'c!"

"What is it?" The big man's eyes moved immediately towards his comrade, checking to see if there was any immediate danger.

"This isn't a burial ground," Daniel said softly. He looked up at his friend and comrade. "They came here to ascend!"

Teal'c frowned and once more looked at the endless rows. "All of the people here? But - they are dead."

"I know but that was not what was meant to happen. Something must have gone horribly wrong. This chamber – it says it was where their "souls were to be released while their bodies were kept whole". He stood slowly. "I think these are some kind of stasis chambers. They're meant to keep the body alive while -"

"While?"

"While allowing the soul to go free."

Teal'c walked over to one of the enclosures and stared at the shriveled corpse within. "Instead their bodies have died. But what about their souls?"

"I don't know Teal'c. I don't know if it even worked. Who knows if they actually _could_ separate body and soul.

"Eventually they did learn to ascend," Teal'c pointed out.

"Mmm hmm. So maybe – maybe it didn't matter that the bodies died. It could be that their souls were set free and they're out there – happy – exploring and experiencing the universe in a whole new way."

"It may be possible," the big guy nodded. "But I do not think there is much happiness here," he pointed out quietly. "This is not a good place.

The two men stood quietly, contemplating what could possibly have happened in this room – on this planet. It was Daniel who finally broke the silence. He had been looking down the corridor in which they were standing, when he suddenly realized something. He couldn't believe he hadn't noticed it before.

"Teal'c, those ones over there are illuminated," he pointed.

"They are," Teal'c nodded. "I noticed it a moment ago and was about to tell you. I suggest we investigate."

"I don't like this," Daniel muttered as they moved toward the enclosures that were still lit. "I really don't like this."

Teal'c glanced at him and then forward once more. "You have the screaming meemies?"

"Damn right!"

"I feel them as well," Teal'c answered. The two men walked slowly, but purposely towards the light.

Daniel now had an inkling of what had happened to the people here, and possibly what had happened to Jack. He hoped that he was wrong.

They both stopped when they reached the first lit chamber and looked at the young woman still lying there. She was naked as well, but her body was young and supple, definitely not mummified. Her skin was pale, but healthy looking and her lips were a natural red. At any other time Daniel would have found her attractive.

"She looks alive," Teal'c commented, his voice steady although Daniel could detect a hint of worry.

"Yeah, she does," Daniel agreed quietly. He peered into the chamber, feeling somehow sad for the woman there, even though she had not met the fate of the others.

"Somehow the other chambers must have been destroyed or got damaged. It looks like only five or six are still working."

The two men were silent as they continued to stare at the young woman. For some reason, which he didn't want to acknowledge, Daniel was hesitant to move on.

"Poor people. God Teal'c – a whole civilization is in here."

But Teal'c was no longer there; instead he'd stepped forward to look into the other chambers. He glanced into each one of them – but stopped suddenly when he got to the last one.

"Daniel Jackson," he said, his voice sounding strange.

"What is it Teal'c?" Daniel asked, his gaze still on the young woman in the first chamber.

"I have found O'Neill."

* * *

"Where _are_ they?" she asked for the hundredth time. "They've been down there for hours."

" _Be patient Sam, it's a long way down. They'll be back."_ Jack was sitting on the ground beside her. But his initial joy at seeing her and the others had faded. Now he felt angry and scared and very, very frustrated. He wanted to be able to touch her, to talk to her, to _interact_ with her in some way, _any_ way. But he couldn't and it was killing him – figuratively that was. He laughed bitterly. It seems he couldn't _actually_ die.

"It really hasn't been that long. And Reynolds is there and he'll check on them if he gets worried."

"God, what if something's happened to them too!"

"Sam, you're worrying for nothing. They're probably just - "

There was a sudden crackle from the radio. "Jacob, Reynolds here. Teal'c and Daniel just got back."

"Are they okay?" Jacob looked at his daughter, who was hanging on his every word.

"They're fine. But - there's something else."

"What?" he frowned.

"They found O'Neill."

" _See Sam! They found me. Now you just have to figure out how to bring me back and we'll hot foot it, high tail it, kazam, scaddadle, bugger on out of here! I'm really sick of this planet." Jack stood, and leaned towards her. He so wanted to reach down and pull her to him, to let her know that he was close – so close._

"He's dead, isn't he?" Sam whispered.

" _What? No, I'm not dead Sam – I'm not. You have to believe me. See! I'm right here, right in front of you."_

"No – no, he's not dead. But he is in some kind of – what did you say Dr. Jackson?" they heard Reynolds ask. "He says they think Jack's in some kind of stasis room and they're not sure what to do."

Sam collapsed back into her chair, her body shaking slightly in reaction. She'd been prepared for bad news – that they would find him dead. She had hoped for good news – that he was alive, even if hurt. But this? _Stasis_? What the hell did that even mean and what were they going to do about it?

"I suggest you come to our location. You can set up camp outside the building and we can discuss what to do from here," Reynolds suggested.

Sam nodded, then immediately stood up – with help from her father -and walked to the door. "Come on Dad, let's go."

This time he just nodded, but he did grab the chair and canteen. He gave the library a quick check and then headed out to their small cross-country vehicle. He was thankful that George had suggested they bring it. He was worried enough about Sam as it was.

" _Hey, this is cool! We need to get one of these for all our missions. It would certainly save wear and tear on the old knees."_ Jack sat on the back of the small vehicle and held on. He refused to leave Sam's side.

This time it only took a few minutes to find the location of the building using Reynolds instructions. Jacob had barely pulled to a stop when Sam got out of the vehicle.

"How does he look?" she asked. "You're sure he's alive?"

"Hi Sam," Daniel hurried over and gave her a hug. He looked sweaty and hot, and not nearly as happy as she'd hoped. It made her even more worried that they'd found Jack – but too late to help him.

"We think so," Daniel was saying in response to her question. "I _hope_ so but it's hard to tell much of anything. He's behind glass – or something equivalent and we haven't tried to get in yet. We're – not sure if it's safe to take him out of whatever state he's in."

"I'm going with you," Sam announced. "I can help with - "

"You must not, Major Carter," Teal'c walked over to them. "It is a dangerous walk down many stairs. It took Daniel Jackson and I over an hour to get down and even longer to return."

"That doesn't matter," she stated. "You need me there."

" _Sam!"_

"No Sam," her father said gently. "You can't. Even if you could get down, walking back up that many stairs in your condition wouldn't be good."

" _Dad_! It's Jack down there. I need to -"

"You need to look after that child. How do you think he would feel if you put it or yourself in danger? You can stay up here and help us."

" _Damn straight! Sam, you listen to your father. You need to take care of you and little O'Neill. So sit that pretty little butt of yours down and let Jacob and the others go down. You can use your brilliant brain as well from up here._

"How?" she asked angrily. "We can't even make radio contact when people are down there."

"We'll set up relay stations Sam," Daniel said gently. "We're going to take video cameras and mikes – and you'll see and hear everything. Your Dad's right. It's too far down but you _can_ help."

She closed her eyes, on the verge of tears. Of course they were right and she should have thought about setting up communication relay stations. But she was so tired – she missed him so much and they were _so_ close. She finally nodded her head. "Okay – but hurry – please."

"We are going as fast as we are able Major Carter," Teal'c promised her gently. "Do not worry – we are doing everything we can. We too wish to save O'Neill."

"I know you do Teal'c," Sam smiled sadly. "It's just – hard."

" _Yeah Carter – and they know that. They're concerned about you but they're great guys and they'll get there. In the meantime just relax."_

It took almost an hour for them to get set up on the surface and then they had to make their way down once more. Teal'c, Daniel, and Dixon prepared to descend, while Jacob gave Sam a last hug and followed them. They began the lengthy journey down, which would take even longer as they set up relay stations along the way to boost their radio and video signals.

Sam looked at the doorway for a long time, until she felt a touch on her arm. "Sam?" Colonel Reynolds gave her a smile. "Don't worry. We'll get him back. We can't mess up my team's record in saving his butt, you know."

" _Hah – your team's record!_ _ **Your**_ _team is the one constantly being rescued by Sg1. Remember that planet with the blue-skinned women? Half your team came back blue – and we covered for you with Hammond. Science experiment my ass! So don't talk to me about saving butts. We've saved yours plenty."_

Sam smiled although her eyes glinted with tears. All she could real focus on right now were the men descending into the earth, trying to find the man she loved. It was only when Reynolds squeezed her arm that she looked at him again.

"Come on, let's get you set up over here. As soon as they get down they're going to send video back and we need to be ready."

This time Sam nodded. Doing something would keep her from going crazy – and, she hoped, would help get him back. She followed Reynolds over to the small field table they'd set up, and began assembling equipment.

She'd long finished any possible preparation, _and_ she'd checked the equipment over multiple times and still they hadn't heard anything. She wondered what was possibly taking them this -

"Can you hear me Sam?"

"Thank goodness! I thought you guys had gotten lost. And yes Daniel – you're coming in loud and clear. Are you within sight of Jack?"

"Almost, just give us a – there. And sorry about that Sam. It took longer than we thought to get everything set up but we're here now. I'm going to send some video in just a minute."

She didn't know quite what she'd expected, but the reality was - not terrible, but certainly disturbing. He looked okay – he wasn't hurt or wounded, at least not in any visible way. But his stillness was – frightening. She almost asked if they were telling her the truth, and whether he was, in fact, dead.

" _See! There I am Sam. All you gotta do is get me outta there. You can do it!"_

"Are you getting this Sam?"

"Yes Daniel – I am. Are you sure he's – alive?"

"As far as we can tell, although to be honest we won't really know until we go in there."

"Is there an entrance?"

"Not one I can see, but I'm sure they must open otherwise how would they get the people inside."

"Okay. Do you see any controls? Anything that shows how to work the chambers?"

Daniel checked the area around where they were standing, hoping that there wasn't some central control somewhere. If that were the case they might never find it. The place was just too huge.

"Wait! There's something here." In between each of the rooms there were a series of intricate designs molded into the wall. It was in the middle of one of these that Daniel found what looked like a control panel.

"It appears as if they occur regularly," Teal'c called. He was farther back and had found a similar panel between some of the darkened enclosures.

"Yeah, I've found one too," Dixon shouted from Daniel's other side. "Mine looks like it's burnt."

"They must each connect to a certain number of the chambers," Daniel called back. He traced the figures around the panel with his fingers. "Is yours lit up Teal'c?" The one in front of him glowed softly.

"It is not. It too appears as if it has been damaged by fire."

"Hmm – it almost sounds like there was an electrical problem or something," the linguist/archaeologist surmised. "Maybe it short-circuited."

"Electrical?" Jacob asked with a raised eyebrow. "Do we know that the Ancients even _used_ electricity or electrical wiring."

Daniel waved his hand at him, not even looking over in Jacob's direction, but continuing to look at the panel. "Whatever the Ancient equivalent was then. I just meant it may not have been a malicious attack but something -" his voice faded and stopped.

"Can you figure it out?" Jacob asked as he walked towards Daniel.

"There are some words here but it'll take me a moment to translate them." He leaned in to look more closely at the panel and after a moment he pulled a small notebook from his pocket.

Jacob moved up beside him and also began to study the wall. The design etched into the walls were beautiful – intricate. It almost gave the appearance of lace, even though it was carved out of some kind of stone. He gently touched the design, following the carved curves and swirls with his finger. He wondered briefly how anything so beautiful could exist in a place that felt so cold, so malevolent.

There was silence in the huge room, except for the couple of times Daniel murmured questions to Selmak – getting her thoughts on the meaning of the Ancient letters and symbols. While the revered Tokra had some knowledge of Ancient, it was not as much as Daniel and she was only able to confirm what Daniel was thinking.

"Hey guys, what's going on _?"_ Sam's voice from the radio, interrupted the silence of the eerie room.

"Oh, sorry Sam, I just wanted to make sure I got it right." Daniel replied calmly, stepping back and frowning down at his notebook. "I think I've translated it correctly but I'm not sure if this helps us."

"So what does it say?" Dixon walked back to where Daniel was standing, followed closely by Teal'c. All of them looked expectantly at their resident archaeologist and linguist. In each of their eyes was the hope that he, once again, would give them the translation, the knowledge they needed to help a comrade.

"There's not much and I don't know if it's going to help." He paused, but continued almost immediately in response to the unspoken impatience of his audience. "Basically there's a lot of flowery language that doesn't mean much. But four words stick out and I think they're what's important."

"And the words are?" Dixon asked.

Daniel turned to him. "They are four concepts or states of being: Ignorance, Knowledge, Awareness and Illumination. I'm afraid I have no idea what they _mean_ exactly or what they have to do with anything although each word is over a corresponding symbol on the panel."

"Selmak, do you have any idea what it could mean?" Sam asked. Of all of them the Tokra had to most knowledge, having lived for centuries longer than anybody else there.

"I do not, Samantha," she replied, with a flash of Jacob's eyes, "although were I to guess I would say it may be attempting to describe the journey upon which Ancient's saw themselves. It is possible they are speaking of being born in ignorance but desiring ultimate illumination"

"That's it!" Daniel exclaimed. "It makes sense. They worked throughout their lives to attain knowledge. Once they became "aware" they could then be illuminated – another way of describing ascension!" He was practically jumping up and down in excitement "So we were right – the people here – they came to ascend!" Daniel stood and slowly looked at Jack's still body. "Do you think he's experiencing it? I wonder what it's like?"

"I don't think this was true ascension," Jacob disagreed, looking around the vast chamber. "I think this was their _attempt_ to help people ascend, but I have a feeling it didn't work. Remember, this place is really old – it existed long before we know of the Ancients actually ascending."

"What is it then?" Daniel frowned.

"Look around you Daniel. If these people really _had_ ascended, why were their bodies left here, preserved in some kind of stasis. And why are most of them – dead. If they had really ascended, why did they need to have their bodies kept alive anyway? No, I think this was someone's idea of how they could reach ascension but I don't think that's what really happened."

"What does this mean for O'Neill, and the others who remain in stasis?" Teal'c, who had been quiet until now, asked.

"Hopefully it means we can turn it off and they'll come back to us. Although it may be difficult for the Ancients since all of their people are dead and their descendants are all truly ascended." Jacob sighed. "So, I think we need to figure out how to turn these things off and see if we can bring Jack back. We might want to just leave the others in stasis."

"But what if that kills him and possibly all of them?" Daniel wanted to know. "I don't think we can chance it."

"Well what else _can_ we do," Jacob asked. "As far as I can tell, there's no other information given. There are no instructions on how to do this, how to turn it off or what to do with the people inside. Yes, it could kill him. But do you really want to leave him here?"

"Well, I'd rather leave him then kill him," Daniel argued. "But Sam might be able to figure something out,"

"How? She can't come down here, and even if she could, what's she going to do? We don't want her damaging the control panel or Jack could die. She _could_ check out one of the burned ones, but again, will that help? I think we just need to turn the damn things and see what happens."

"Sam?" Daniel asked the radio.

"I don't know Daniel," she sighed. "Could you have Teal'c and my Dad check out one of the other panels and see what's behind it?"

"Sure." Daniel nodded towards Teal'c, as Jacob was already moving over to the former Jaffa.

It took a few minutes for the two men to pry open the outer cover of the panel. The moment they did, they both knew it wasn't going to help.

"Everything is melted past recognition," Jacob informed them. "This has been totally fried."

"I checked this one over here," Dixon called. "Looks like the same thing."

"Sam? I think we need to just go for it," her father coaxed her. "I think that's what Jack would do – would _want_ us to do. There's no way he wants to remain in there – or even if he _is_ ascended, I don't think he would want his body to be on display like that."

Sam was silent on the other end of the radio. She looked up to Reynolds and his men, who were quietly following the conversation. After a second his lifted his eyes and met hers.

"I think your father is right," he told her softly. "I think that's what Jack would want."

" _Damn right it's what I want,"_ Jack said. " _Sam, tell your father to go for it. I can't live like this. And if it doesn't work, I'd rather be dead than wandering around like some ghost, slowing going insane as each day passes._ _ **Please**_ _Sam – tell him to turn the thing off."_

Suddenly Sam took a deep breath, and nodded. "Okay Dad, Daniel. Try and see if you can turn the stasis off. But just one thing – the chambers may be sealed, so you're going to need to get inside as quickly as possible. There may not be enough – or any – air in there."

"Shit! I hadn't thought of that," Daniel cursed. "Teal'c, Dave, Jacob – get ready to blow the glass out if need be."

"And Dad – we need him home."

"I know kiddo," Jacob answered gently. "We'll try our damndest."

" _Thanks Jacob,"_ Jack whispered. He moved closer to Sam and squatted down beside her. He slowly put his hand over the baby bump, and smiled when he felt the kick. It was his only connection to reality. " _So kid, if I don't make it, I want you to know how much I loved you and how great it would have been to be your father. You look after your Mom. She's an incredible woman and you're really, really lucky to have her."_ He pulled his hand back and looked at Sam.

" _God, I love you Samantha Carter. I want you to be happy, no matter what happens today. Be happy and love life and know that I loved you with everything that is in me."_

He smiled gently and then stood. He regarded all the people there and was again grateful for friends and comrades. He thought about Daniel and Teal'c and all the others he cared for who weren't here, including Sara.

" _Okay folks,"_ he said to himself since no one else could hear. _"Let's get this show on the road."_

"So, we're assuming that each one of these words describes a point in a person's life"

"An Ancient's life," Teal'c clarified.

Daniel glanced at his friend and nodded. "Yeah. And if illumination _does_ equate to ascension, then we can assume that these people in the chambers have supposedly ascended and so are here," he leaned forward and pointed directly at the symbol under the word for Illumination.

"But what we _want_ is for them to be on _our_ plain. In other words, awe want them to be _here,"_ he pointed to the symbol and word signifying "Knowledge."

"Why not "Awareness?" Teal'c asked.

"Yeah, it could be there too. I think the only one we _don't_ want is, "Ignorance." Not unless we want to bring Jack back as a baby."

"O'Neill already acts like an infant upon occasion," Teal'c commented. "I do not believe we want him that way all the time."

They all chuckled at that, which released some of the tension in the room.

"Oh, don't worry. We won't bring back a baby Jack. We'll let Sam handle that."

"I heard that Daniel," Sam said through the radio. They could all hear the laughter in her voice. That they could also hear the tears, none of them mentioned.

"Okay, so try pushing either "Knowledge" or "Awareness," Jacob told him. "We have to do something and I don't know what else we _can_ do."

"Try Awareness," Sam said, sounding slightly nervous. "And see what happens."

Daniel glanced at each of the others in the chamber with him, and received a nod from each one. With a final deep breath he reached out – and slowly touched the symbol for "Awareness."

Jack had been watching Sam carefully – watching _over_ her, if truth were told. But suddenly he felt rather strange. He glanced down at his hands, which were tingling, and was surprised to see them become translucent. " _Whoa,"_ he whispered. The next moment his whole body began to dissipate. He could feel himself start to fade. " _Sam,"_ he cried out, but then next moment everything disappeared.


	25. Touching

_**See how good I am to you? Another chapter so as not to leave you hanging. Maybe, with lots or reviews, I might be induced to do another one today. I respond well to bribery! Thank you as always for the wonderful reviews. You guys deserve a special gift.**_

At first, nothing happened. They all stood frozen, their eyes focused on Jack – all of them except Dave Dixon, who was watching the young woman they had first seen.

It was he who alerted them that something was happening.

"Hey – guys! Something's going on. She's waking up. Oh God, I don't think she can breathe!"

At that moment they realized that all of the people in stasis were waking up – and all of them were suffocating.

"Break down the glass!" Daniel shouted. "Use your weapons – break it."

"Just don't hit anyone," Jacob added.

At first it appeared as if the weapons wouldn't work. Strangely, the clear material encasing the chambers seemed to absorb any of the bullets or staff blasts that hit it.

Fortunately, it was soon discovered, by Jacob, that it couldn't withstand a zat blast. He used it to cause the material, whatever it was, to simply disappear after three shots. Immediately the others pulled their zats, and all of the chambers were then opened.

"Did we do it in time?" Daniel shouted, running to O'Neill's chamber.

"I believe so Daniel Jackson," Teal'c said, looking relieved.

At that moment a wail echoed through the huge, underground chamber. It was followed, a second later, by a scream and soon joined by more voices calling out.

"My God," Jacob said, staring at the Ancients who were now awake. "What's going on?" He watched them closely for a few seconds, trying to decide how to help, but then he saw their faces. "They're all insane!"

It was obvious, by looking at the five people who had been awakened, that their minds had been destroyed. Their eyes were glazed and couldn't stay on any one thing for more than a second, their expressions were full of hatred and fear and anguish. They drooled as their tongues flicked out and in. Although too weak to get up, after centuries lying in stasis, their heads rocked back and forth and their fingers moved about aimlessly. All in all it was a terrifying sight.

"What about Jack?" Jacob whispered, too shocked to move.

"He is just waking up," Daniel called back. He and Teal'c were standing beside the platform on which Jack was resting. They could see his eyes begin to move, and the sudden deep breath he took. A moment later his eyes popped open.

"Daniel? What's happening?" Sam's voice could be heard from the radio outside the chamber. She must have been hearing the horrible sounds of the Ancients, who continued to moan and scream.

However Daniel didn't hear. Instead his focus was on the man in front of him. "Jack? Jack are you okay?"

Jack blinked but otherwise didn't move. Instead he stared straight up at the ceiling.

"Jack?"

"O'Neill? Can you hear us? Are you well?"

He continued to stare upward and both his friends soon grew worried. Daniel finally reached and carefully put his hand on Jack's arm.

Which caused a greater reaction than he'd been expecting. His friend let out a moan and jerked his arm – not away, but under Daniel's hand. His breath hitched and a second later his head moved slightly until he was looking directly at the younger man.

"Jack?"

O'Neill closed his eyes and breathed deeply, but a second later they opened. "Dan'l," he croaked. "That – you?"

"Yes, it's me Jack?" Daniel grinned.

"And I am here as well O'Neill."

Jack's eyes moved until they saw the big man and then his lips twitched and a small smile appeared. "Teal'c!"

"It is I. We are glad you are back with us."

"Me too," Jack sighed, his voice rough and unsteady from not speaking for months.

"How are you feeling?" Daniel asked, pulling his arm away.

"No," Jack tried to reach with his hand, and Daniel looked worriedly at Teal'c. "Please?"

"What? What is it Jack?"

The Colonel's hands kept moving, kept reaching. He needed to _feel_ , to know that he was really in the presence of his friend. Finally he felt Daniel's hand take his and he clenched his around the other man's as hard as he could.

Daniel looked puzzled, but held on. "You're gonna be okay Jack. How are you feeling?"

"A little - chilly," he croaked in reply. "You didn't happen to bring – a blanket?"

Daniel grinned and then leaned over, his hand braced on the side of the platform, his legs suddenly weak from relief. "God, it's good to see you."

"Yes, it is indeed good to see you O'Neill," Teal'c said, sounding extremely excited – for Teal'c.

"Yeah – you too big guy. But – I'd rather you didn't see so _much_ of me. Blanket? Please"

"Oh, sorry Jack. Teal'c?"

"I shall get one O'Neill."

" _Guys!"_ Sam called for the fifth time. "What's going on? Please, would someone answer?"

Dave finally rushed over to the radio, a huge grin on his face. "Sam – it's Dave Dixon. Jack is alive and appears to be okay. We'll give you more news in a minute. We're just getting him a blanket."

"Oh thank God!" Sam collapsed back into Colonel Reynolds arms, weak from fear and now from relief. She cried a bit into his shoulder – a very un-soldier-like thing to do, but neither she nor Reynolds cared at that moment. In fact, he was glad Carter had her face pressed into his chest or she might have seen some unmilitary-like tears of his own.

"He's gonna be okay Sam," he said. "See I told you! You can't keep that guy down."

"No," she hiccupped with a grin. "No you can't."

* * *

The noise in the chamber had faded until there were only a few faint moans coming from the Ancients. After hearing that Jack was okay, Jacob had gone in to try and see if he could help the others. It quickly became obvious that there was nothing he could do. They were all physically weak – but that wasn't the worst. He knew that he was looking at people whose minds had long gone. Now, only death would release them from their horrible existence.

It was Selmak who realized, who was able to see it first. "They are dying Jacob," she told him. "I believe that is the most merciful thing for them."

"Yeah," he answered. "I wonder how this happened?"

"I doubt we shall ever know," she replied, "unless O'Neill can enlighten us. As for their bodies – they have probably become too weakened after so many years in stasis. I am sorry that they have had to suffer so. "

"Me too," Jacob said softly. He finally turned around and left the side of the young woman, who was now almost totally silent. It looked as if she was fading fast and, mercifully, she was no longer conscious. He hoped it happened soon.

A quick look into the other chambers confirmed what Selmak had already guessed. The people were dying and dying quikly. In fact, it looked as if one of them – the one other woman in the group – was already gone.

Jacob shook his head and walked quickly to where they had found O'Neill. Teal'c was laying a blanket gently over the Colonel, whose eyes were opened, but who, so far, hadn't really moved from his position on the platform. Daniel continued to stand beside him and hold onto his hand.

"Jack?"

He watched O'Neill swallow, and then the man's head turned slightly.

"Jacob," he rasped. "Good of you to come."

"He needs water," Jacob said sharply. "Dixon," he called, "bring in a canteen."

"Thanks," Jack said as Teal'c held him up and carefully gave him a drink. After one small sip he choked and pushed it away. "No," he said faintly.

"Jack, you need to drink." Jacob looked at him with concern.

"Later," the Colonel said, his eyes closing slowly. "Later."

Daniel quickly felt his neck. "He's fine," he said once he'd found Jack's pulse. "Just tired I think. Uh – how are the others?"

"Dying," Jacob answered softly. "One is gone already."

"Oh God – shouldn't we do something?" Daniel cried. "We should be helping them. We've got a First Aid -"

"No!" Jack's voice interrupted. "No Daniel – leave them. It's – kinder."

"What?" Daniel's brow crinkled in a fierce frown. "What are you saying? We have to try and save them. Jacob, did you bring the healing device?"

"Jack is right Daniel," Jacob replied. "It's better this way."

"What are you _saying?_ You can't let them just die. They're _people_!"

"Daniel," Jack's softy, creaky voice interrupted. "They're insane and living a horrible existence. There's nothing we can do. Just let them rest."

"But – we can help them."

"No, no we can't." Jack closed his eyes and breathed. "They've been alone for thousands of years Daniel – completely alone. They couldn't eat or sleep or touch anything other than the stone of this place. Their minds went a long time ago and all that's left is anguish and despair. Let them rest, please" he said again.

Daniel stared at him for a few seconds. "Is that – where you were?"

Jack gave one small nod and then remained still. The others looked at him with compassion – and with worry.

"We must get O'Neill out of here to the surface."

"Can he walk?" Daniel asked.

"I shall carry him," Teal'c informed them. "It would be my honor."

"Nice of ya, big guy," Jack intoned. "But I think I can make it."

"Can you even move, Jack?' Jacob asked.

"Sure I can. I'm just a teeny bit tired."

Jacob sighed and shook his head. "I'm going to go check -" he nodded his head towards the corridor. "And I'd better let Sam know what's going on. You guys stay with Jack."

"We shall not leave him," Teal'c nodded.

Jacob checked the other chambers, although truthfully he wished he didn't have to. The thought of wandering aimlessly as a ghost for millennia was horrifying, to say the least and he hated that there was nothing they could do to help the dying Ancients.

"Three of them have died," Dixon said softly. "I think the others are almost gone. It's – awful."

"It is that," Jacob agreed. "But I'm glad the end came quickly. Now they can rest." he said, thinking of Jack's words.

"How's O'Neill?" Dave asked. "Other than alive."

"Weak, a bit disoriented, but stubborn as always. He insists he's gonna walk out of here."

"Is he?" Dave's eyebrow went up.

"I doubt it, but it's going to be an interesting fight." He walked to the radio and picked it up. "Sam, are you there?"

"Hi Dad," she answered, her voice sounding a bit thick. He smiled, pretty sure there had been some tears of joy. "How's Jack?"

"Oh, you know. He's already started being a pain in the ass."

She giggled. "He's okay then?"

"He will be Sam – but it may take a while for him to come back from this."

"Was he hurt?" Now he could hear the worry in her voice.

"Not physically, at least as far as any of us can tell. But emotionally – this has been hard on him. He's gonna need you kiddo."

"I'm here for him Daddy," she whispered in return.

"I know – and that will be the best thing of all for him."

* * *

"Jack, there are hundreds – probably thousands of stairs -"

"I know," he answered softly.

"You know? _How_ do you know? Weren't you transported down here?"

"I guess, I don't know. As for how I know – I walked them. It took a long time."

"You _walked_? But – wasn't your body in stasis the whole time."

"Mmm, I guess so."

"You – but _Jack_! I don't understand. How did you -?"

"Enough, Daniel Jackson," Teal'c interceded. "We will find out more once O'Neill is safe at home. For now we need to concentrate on getting him out of here."

"And getting me some clothes," the subject whined. "There is no way in hell I'm showing up in the gate room _naked_.

"Oh, we'll have clothes for you by then," Daniel told him. "But Sg3 is up top and _they_ may have to see you – without clothes."

That got an immediate rise out of Jack, who cursed. "No way in hell! You will get me some clothes or I'm not moving from here."

"Even to see Sam?" Daniel smirked.

Jack gave him a look that could kill, but didn't say anything. Daniel glanced down, his hand still clenched in Jack's. He suddenly realized that his friend seemed to need to be touched, and he wondered again what he had experienced.

"We brought some extra BDU's for you," Daniel finally admitted. "You want some help getting dressed?"

Jack scowled, but eventually nodded. As much as he hated to admit it, he was incredibly weak. He didn't know if he even had enough energy to sit up.

In the end both Daniel and Teal'c had to help him. Teal'c managed to get him to sit up, but kept his arm around him. Daniel was then able to help dress him.

Jack didn't say anything, feeling rather embarrassed by the whole thing. At the same time he relished the feeling of being touched. Teal'c's arm, and even Daniel's hands, as he pulled and pushed to get Jack dressed, felt wonderful.

He still had trouble believing it was real, that he had been rescued. Inside his emotions were a mess, and he kept expecting to wake up any moment and find himself alone again.

"You should drink now Jack," Daniel told him. He was holding out the canteen and Jack looked at it curiously. It may have been that his body hadn't had time to get used to it yet, but he felt nauseous at the thought of eating or drinking. But now that he was back in his body, he knew he needed to keep hydrated.

He nodded and Danny held up the canteen. He forced himself to take some sips, almost gagging on each one. "Enough," he said, pushing the canteen away.

Daniel took back the canteen, but looked worriedly at his friend. "Are you sure? You didn't have very much."

"His body is probably still adjusting Daniel," Jacob spoke from the doorway. "You guys ready to head up top?"

"Jack?"

"Yeah," he nodded. "I'm afraid I don't -"

"Oh, you're not walking up by yourself. We're rigging up some harnesses and Teal'c is going to help you." Jacob grinned. "We're pretending we're mountain climbing."

Jack stared and then nodded, a small grin cracking his pale face.

In the end they strapped Jack, with a harness, onto Teal'c's back. He hated the indignity of it, but knew he was too weak to walk on his own. He allowed his head to rest on his friend's back and half-dozed as they got everything ready for the grueling climb back.

Jacob went ahead, stringing ropes between himself and Teal'c to act almost like a belay. Dave Dixon walked behind Teal'c, there to help steady him if need be. Daniel stayed a few feet in front of Teal'c, performing much the same function as well as holding onto the ropes.

"Gonna take a while," Jack muttered.

"Just relax O'Neill. We will be fine."

"Yeah, okay. Thanks Teal'c."

"You are welcome O'Neill. It is good to have you back."

They had to leave all of their supplies down below, as well as the bodies of the Ancients. They had quickly discussed what they should do, but eventually decided the important thing was to get Jack back home. Sg3 could come down and get their remaining things.

As for the Ancients – in the end they decided to leave them be. They would be with their people in this huge burial chamber. As for the obelisk, they would have to take that back to General Hammond. All of them, even Daniel, felt the best thing was to simply destroy it so no one else would ever have to suffer what Jack had.

The trip took a long time, and there were a couple of close calls as Teal'c slipped or stumbled. But in each case his companions were able to keep him from falling.

As far as Jack was concerned, it wasn't the most comfortable trip. The ropes bit into his skin and he had to be careful not to move, to unbalance Teal'c. But for all that, he relished the trip. Being in contact with a warm body, even if that of his Jaffa friend, brought him peace he hadn't felt in months. He even felt Teal'c heart beats – which got stronger and faster as he ascended the stairs.

By the time they got to the top Teal'c was sweating and breathing deeply. But waiting for them was an anxious looking Sam, surrounded by Sg3.

"I have brought him to you Major Carter," Teal'c panted as he stepped up the last step.

"Thank you Teal'c," she smiled, but her eyes were solely on Jack, who appeared to be sound asleep.

"Is he okay?" she asked, her hands out, wanting desperately to hold him.

"He's tired and weak Sam, but I think he's okay." Her father smiled and helped remove the harness from around Jack. The movement seemed to wake the Colonel and he blinked blearily.

"Jack?" Sam whispered.

That caused him to whip his head towards her voice. "Sam?" he asked, his voice cracking. The next moment Jacob and Daniel grabbed him and pulled him from Teal'c's back. They held on to him with their arms around his waist.

Sam rushed over and threw her arms around him. It was awkward with both her father and Daniel holding him up, but she didn't care.

"Oh God Jack – you're back," she breathed.

He lowered his head and rested it gently on hers. He breathed her in – the scent of her shampoo, her sweat, the earth that clung to her from the planet – it was the most beautiful thing he'd ever smelled. "Sam," he repeated.

Suddenly he began to tremble and the tears flooded out and down his cheeks. He was alive. He could feel and see and smell and talk to Sam, to his friends. And they knew he was here. He was no longer living as a ghost, a phantom that had no form.

He continued to tremble and to weep, when the emotions and feelings, both real and emotional, got too much for him. With a sigh he collapsed and knew no more.

" _Jack!"_ Sam cried. She tried to catch him, but her girth prevented her and fortunately Jacob and Daniel managed to hold him up.

"We'd better get him back to the SGC," Jacob said. "I'll try using the healing device on him, but I expect it's as much emotional as it is physical. He's been through a rough time."

"But – what happened to him?" Sam asked, wiping her own tears off her cheeks. "Did he say-?"

"No, not really," Daniel said gently. "I expect -" he looked over at Jacob. "I'm not sure. But I agree we need to get him to Janet. She'll have him up and running in no time."

"Oh God – and he'll be tormenting her and the nurses," Sam half sobbed.

"Oh yeah," Daniel grinned. "Teal'c? You okay?"

"I am fine Daniel Jackson. I just need to rest and allow my symbiote to renew my strength."

"Thank you Teal'c. You're a good friend," Sam sniffed and gave him a quick hug.

"I was honored to help my brother," he replied.

Sam smiled but watched closely as Sg3 loaded Jack onto a stretcher. As soon as he was settled, a blanket covering him, she walked over and took his hand. "Okay my love, let's get you home."


	26. Infirmary

"Off world activation," Walter announced as the Gate started to turn. The General hurried into the control room, hoping that the person he wanted to see would be coming through the Gate.

"Any word on who it is?" he asked Walter.

"No Sir, not y– wait, I'm getting a message." He listened for a second and then turned to the General. "It's Sg1 Sir."

"Then open the iris Sergeant," Hammond said, a tinge of both hope and worry in his voice.

A moment later the event horizon kawooshed into the Gate room and then settled back. A moment later Dave Dixon appeared, followed almost immediately by Jacob, with his arm around his daughter. There was a moment's delay and then three figures appeared: Teal'c, Daniel, and in between them (and apparently being held up by them), Jack O'Neill!"

" _Yes_!" Walter said under his breath. He glanced at the beaming General, already on his way to the Gate room.

"Call for medical assistance," he called over his shoulder. "It looks like the Colonel is hurt."

"Colonel O'Neill!" Hammond called as he stepped off the stairs into the Gate room. "It's good to have you back!"

Jack lifted his head, squinting and trying to focus his eyes. "General Hammond Sir. It's good to be back."

"Are you alright Colonel?"

"Yup! Hunky Dorey Sir. Just a little tired."

"Medical Staff are on their way." He stepped to the base of the ramp. "Well done everyone! Uh – Sg3?"

"They've stayed behind to collect our things Sir. Colonel O'Neill was found in a subterranean chamber and we had to leave our things there to bring him back quickly," Colonel Dixon explained

Just then the doors opened and Janet entered, followed quickly by a nurse and two orderlies.

"Colonel O'Neill!" she exclaimed, a big smile lighting her face. "It's good to see you Sir."

"It's good to be _seen_ , Doc," he answered, thinking how true the words were. "Uh," he protested slightly as Janet suddenly took over. Within seconds he found himself pulled away from his colleagues and placed on the stretcher, with the Doc and nurse both checking his vitals.

"Sam!" he cried, experiencing a sudden feeling of panic. He breathed a sigh of relief as she moved beside him and took his outstretched hand.

"I'm here Colonel," she said softly

"Sam, sorry honey but I need you to wait over there," Janet instructed her, her eyes intent on the Colonel. "You can follow us down, but we need some room right now, " she said kindly, knowing how happy her friend had to be to find Colonel O'Neill.

"No!" O'Neill said sharply, tightening his grip on Sam.

Sam looked imploringly at the Doctor. "I – think I should stay with him Janet," she said softly. "He – had it rough down there."

Janet took another look at the Colonel, and only then noticed the barely hidden panic in his eyes. "Okay," she nodded. "But we're moving quickly to the Infirmary. So just take it easy."

Within moments Jack, Sam and Janet and her team were heading down the long corridor to the Infirmary. The rest of the teams and Jacob followed more slowly, although all of them were worried about Jack.

Janet couldn't find anything really wrong with the Colonel except for slightly elevated blood pressure and pulse. Otherwise he was in excellent health, simply, as he said, tired. Sam had explained to her that he had been in some form of stasis the entire time he was gone. O'Neill himself only answered direct questions from the medical staff, but didn't share any details about his ordeal.

"He hasn't told us much either," Sam said quietly, as O'Neill dozed.

"Well Colonel, it appears that everything looks pretty good," Janet told him a few minutes later, "but I'd still like to keep you under observation for 48 hours, until we know everything is going to stay that way."

O'Neill didn't respond, except for a short huff and a frown. He knew very well that there was no way he was going to convince Janet to let him go home, and he also knew the General would back her on anything she had planned for him. Since he really was too tired to try and argue, just for the sake of arguing, he stayed silent. Of course he wasn't about to admit that for once he didn't really want to go home. The thought of being alone terrified him. Although he kept telling himself his nightmare was over, he kept expecting everyone to suddenly stop seeing or hearing him, to once again becoming a ghost. So, instead of doing his usual "I wanna go home shtick," he simply continued to hold tightly to Sam's hand.

"Sir, now that we've finished the tests, can you tell me if you remember anything during your time on the planet or were you in stasis the entire time?"

Jack fidgeted and wouldn't look at the good doctor. It was Sam who finally got him to look up, by squeezing his hand and murmuring his name.

He sighed. "Yes," was all he said.

A puzzled look crossed Janet's face. "Yes _what_ Sir?"

"Yes, I was in stasis the entire time and yes I remember."

"Really?" Janet frowned and glanced at Sam, who was peering intently at the Colonel, a strange look in her eye. Janet wondered what it meant. "Uh, what do you remember?"

"Everything."

Her eyebrows went up and she glanced again at Sam. Colonel O'Neill was in one of his uncooperative moods, which usually signaled that there was something wrong, something that he didn't want to talk about. Janet suddenly realized she had her work cut out for her.

"Can you explain what you mean Sir? I'm not quite sure." She asked gently.

"I was - there," he said and closed his eyes.

Another swift look at Sam, who was now frowning fiercely. She glanced up at Janet and shook her head slightly, which didn't mean anything to the Doctor. Janet sighed and returned her attention to O'Neill.

"Uh – sorry Sir? You were there? We know that you were in stasis. Is that what you mean?"

"No. I mean yes, my body was in stasis." He paused. Without realizing it he squeezed Sam's hand so hard she let out a small gasp. He didn't notice that either, but finally he turned to Janet and with a deep breath, explained. "The rest of me wasn't."

"The _rest_ of you? Sir, I don't really understand what you're saying. Could you explain?"

"I was a ghost."

"A ghost?"

He sighed and his eyes opened. "A spirit, a phantom, a specter. Someone not alive."

"You're telling me that while your body was in stasis -"

"My spirit was – roaming around."

"Jack?" Sam said, a look of horror briefly crossing her face, before she erased it and tried to look calmly at the man in the bed. "You mean – your spirit was aware while your body was in stasis?"

"Yup," he answered, trying to sound flippant but succeeding in sounding more fearful and restless than anything.

"Were you - there? I mean, did you stay in the same place?" Sam asked softly.

"Yeah," he answered. "In the Ancient City," he said, his eyes still closed. "I could see everything, hear everything but no one could see me. I saw all of you when you were there." He paused a few second. "I tried to – uh I tried to follow you guys home, but there was something keeping me in the city – or at lease up until the edge of it. I saw you leave." He stopped talking for a few seconds, clearly remembering that moment.

Sam was looking even more horrifying, her hand placed over her mouth and her eyes on Janet. "I'm so sorry Jack," she finally whispered. All she could think was that they had left a man behind.

At her words Jack seemed to come out of whatever memory he was having. He tilted his head up and focused on Sam. "What? No – it wasn't your fault, any of you. How could you possibly have known I was – aware? I saw how hard you looked for me and I knew you'd come back. Don't blame yourself Sam."

"But – it must have been awful, Jack," she said a second later. "How did you cope?"

O'Neill laughed, a bitter laugh, and closed his eyes. "It was definitely not my favorite mission," he said quietly. "And here I thought being invisible would be fun."

Sam squeezed his hand, trying to give some comfort. Janet, on the other hand, had been watching in silence, figuring the Colonel was more likely to share things with Sam. What she realized, from the little he had said, was that he had gone through a tremendously traumatic event and she was going to have to keep her eyes on him. At that moment she really wanted to shoot an Ancient.

"Whatcha lookin' so angry about Doc?" Jack interrupted her fantasy and she glanced at him in surprise.

"Sorry Colonel? What did you say?"

"You were standing there lookin' mighty fierce and I was a little worried I'd done something wrong."

"I'm sorry Sir," Janet forced herself to relax. "I was just thinking about something."

"Nothing to do with needles, I hope?"

"Needles?" she grinned. "Hmm." At his panicked expression she laughed. "No, no more needles Sir, I promise. Actually, I was just thinking about the Ancients."

"Oh?" he asked, sounding puzzles.

"Just about how much I detest them!"

That made Jack laugh, and for the first time his hand relaxed from around Sam's. She smiled as well. If the Colonel could still laugh about things, that was good.

"I have to agree," he replied after he had stopped laughing. The slight appearance of panic – and something else, which bothered Janet because she couldn't quite tell what it was – appeared in his eyes. "In fact, right now I pretty much detest them."

"Can you – tell us about it Colonel?" Janet asked softly, once more glancing over at Sam. "How did you feel while you were – uh there in spirit?"

"Lonely," he tried to laugh, but it came out more like a groan. "No one to talk to. For once I got real tired of my own voice."

"Could you – touch things, feel things?" Sam asked, ignoring his attempt at humor. She knew he didn't find this at all funny, and nor did she or Janet.

"Just the city – the walls, the ground, but that was it. I tried touching people – you," he whispered, "but you couldn't feel me. And I didn't need to eat or drink or – anything else. I just – wandered around."

"Could you – did you know how much time was passing while you were there?" the Doctor wanted to know. She was starting to wonder what all of this would mean for the Colonel's recovery.

"Sort of," he said. "I kind of lost track of days, because I didn't need to sleep. Sometimes I stayed inside for a long time and I couldn't tell how much time had passed. But – looking at Sam," he glanced down at her belly, "I'm assuming I was gone for months?"

"Almost four months," Sam said gently patting his arm with the hand not presently held by his. "I'm so sorry you had to be there that long. But we didn't give up, you have to know that."

"I know," he told her with a gentle smile, "And I'm the one who's sorry," he told her. "I said I'd be here for you, and I wasn't!"

"For heaven's sake, Sir, that wasn't you fault," she told him firmly, almost angrily. "I knew that if you could have been, you would have been. This wasn't your fault at all!"

He appeared to think for a few moments, but finally he nodded. He knew it hadn't been his fault, but a part of him would probably always feel guilty. Mostly what he was feeling, however, was frightened and angry. He was angry at what the damned Ancients had done to him, and afraid – hell, he didn't know quite why he was afraid and that was driving him crazy. He was home, safe and sound and he should be grateful. Instead he kept waiting for it to start up again.

"So, you basically -" Janet stopped, not quite sure how to continue.

"Haunted the place," Jack grinned, although it wasn't his usual high capacity grin and it certainly wasn't reflected in his eyes, which were troubled. He yawned. "Can I sleep now Doc?" he asked, clearly at the end of his rope.

"Of course Sir. We can talk more tomorrow," Janet told him, while patting his arm gently. She understood O'Neill and she could see that he felt he had talked enough and he was shutting down. But Janet knew there was a lot more inside him that needed to be spoken of to someone. He wondered if a therapist would be helpful.

"I'm lookin' forward to it Doc," he said, his slightly slurred words interrupting her thoughts.

She patted his arm one more time and then gave Sam a smile. "I think it's time you rested Sir," Janet said. "Just close your eyes and sleep," she instructed. "We'll be here when you wake up."

Jack nodded, too far gone to Morpheus shore to respond verbally. Within seconds he was sound asleep.

Sam was finally able to remove her hand from the Colonel's, and drew it back, twisting her wrist and stretching her fingers, desperately trying to get the blood to return.

"How is he doing Janet, really?" she finally whispered.

Janet motioned with her head and Sam followed her out of the room and down the hall to her office.

"So, how's he doing?" she asked again.

Janet sighed and sat down and rubbed her eyes. Once she was done she finally looked up at Sam. This was always the hard part.

"Physically – he's fine. He's a little tense, but that's to be expected. As for the other -"

"Other?" Sam asked, sitting forward on her chair.

"The emotional trauma," her friend explained carefully, leaning her head back against the wall. "And we all know how Jack deals with emotions of any kind, let alone trauma."

"He jokes, he argues, he wants to go home."

"Yes," Janet frowned. "I should have been more worried," she suddenly exclaimed.

"What? What do you mean?" Sam asked, sounding extremely tense.

"He didn't ask to go home," Janet explained. "That's usually a red flag. Damn it! Why does this sort of thing always happen to the Colonel?"

"I don't know Janet," Sam told her quietly, sadly, looking at the sleeping man beside her. "I don't know, but I wish it would stop."

Janet answered. "Me too Sam, me too." She let out a long, slow breath and looked at Sam, a little smile on her face. Whatever this meant for the Colonel, Janet was going to be there too.


	27. Cookies

"Colonel, what are you still doing here?" Janet asked in surprise. She was just off to do a post-mission check on Sg14, her white coat billowing out around her as she hurried to meet the incoming soldiers. Her hand was wrapped around a clipboard, which she'd been glancing at as she caught sight of the Colonel still sitting in the Infirmary. "You should have gone hours ago."

"Yeah, I know," Jack nodded, his legs swinging back and forth as he sat on top of one of the Infirmary beds. "Just realized I forgot something," he told her, holding up his hand. In it was a book with dog-eared pages. Janet peered at it for a second, a frown on her face. "Outlander? I didn't know you were into that kind of thing Sir."

He looked down at the book with a frown, and then turned it over. "Uh – yeah, looks interesting."

She frowned again but then glanced towards the corridor as she heard some commotion. "Sorry Colonel, I have to go. I suggest you get out of here now, before things become too hectic. Sg14 is just getting back and I have to do a post-mission check."

"Okay, yeah sure Doc," he said to the retreating form. "I'll do that. I'll just – go, leave, blow this popsicle stand, amskray, skidaddle," his voice faded out, his eyes still focused on the door by which Janet had just left. He sighed and pushed himself to his feet. He wondered briefly if he should go and say hi to Colonel Parker from 14. Nah, that might look too suspicious.

Instead he slowly left the confines of the Infirmary and wandered down the corridor. He debated whether to go see Daniel, but the man was too good at ferreting out what was wrong with people – with Jack O'Neill especially, and he really didn't think he wanted a counseling session right now. Or there was also the possibility that Daniel would ignore him – if he was engrossed in some naked fertility statue from P – stupid planet where aliens left behind rocks and statues.

He sighed again and turned abruptly. He'd go see Teal'c. He'd taken all of four steps before he realized that Teal'c had been asked to accompany Sg8 who had asked him to accompany them to speak with some local Jaffa who had left the service of their System Lord.

So that left – Walter? He laughed softly. Wouldn't the poor Sergeant be startled to have him show up for a chat? Maybe not, Jack frowned. Walter was pretty unflappable. But still, he didn't really want to start creating gossip by seeking out the poor Sergeant.

He kind of wished Sam was here, but Janet had sent her home to rest. And he was glad of that, he really was. She had been upset with him gone, and then had helped with the rescue and she was exhausted. Damn! He couldn't believe he had missed months of her pregnancy. He'd promised to be there for her, but no, he'd ended up being a ghost for 4 months instead. Sometimes life was crap!

"Colonel, I though Dr. Frasier had sent you home?" Naturally he'd run into Hammond, who usually never came down this way.

"Uh, hi Sir. I forgot something in the Infirmary and went back to get it," he said, holding up his (or actually Nurse Perez') book. He hoped she didn't mind that he'd absconded with it, but he really hadn't wanted to tell Janet that he'd never actually _left_ the Infirmary.

"Oh," Hammond looked thoughtful as he glanced at the book. "I see. Well, you'd better get out of here before the good Doctor finds you. She wants you to take a few days off."

"I know," he answered darkly. "But General, I really don't need it. I feel -"

"Fine. Yes I know Colonel, but you went through a traumatic experience and you need to take some time to deal with it. Now go! And that's an order."

"Yes Sir," he sighed, but stayed and watched until the General was gone. "Damn" he muttered, once sure Hammond wouldn't hear him. He now had no choice but to leave. If he was caught wandering around the halls he'd been in trouble for disobeying a direct order. "Get your ass out of here O'Neill."

He ended up sitting in his car for almost 20 minutes before finally starting it and heading out. He didn't want to go home. Didn't want to be by himself. He was _terrified_ by the thought, but there was no way in hell he was going to tell anyone that. He'd end up getting sent to a shrink, and pulled off active duty until some guy, who didn't know a thing about Gate travel, felt he was okay.

Well he wasn't about to let that happen. All he needed was a bit of time – time and not being by himself. He stretched his hands – they kept bothering him, although he knew that what it was was the need to touch another human being.

He finally started his truck and put it into gear. No point hanging around anymore. He might as well force himself to head home. He could always watch TV to keep him company.

After driving down the mountain, he reached the city and headed in the direction of his house. He got to the main intersection near his neighborhood and put his left signal light on. At the very last second he switched lanes and turned right instead of left. He heard the harsh sound of the person behind blowing his horn at him and grimaced slightly. That had been a stupid thing to do and he didn't blame the guy for being angry.

Five minutes later he pulled up outside Sam's house.

Sam was resting on the couch – as much as she was able to right now. Not only was it hard to stay in any one position for any length of time, she couldn't stop worrying about the Colonel.

She'd stayed with him the first night since he had seemed to need her there. She'd held his hand for hours, even after he'd gone to sleep. Janet had finally come in and made her lie down in the other bed, but she'd had to have the nurse come in and move it closer to the Colonel's. As soon as she'd let go of his hand he'd grown restless.

By the time morning came she had only slept a couple of hours and was feeling exhausted – although she was still thrilled that they'd gotten the Colonel back. But the moment Janet had come in, and had taken one look at her, she'd been sent home.

Of course she argued – but finally when O'Neill's soft voice had told her to go, she knew she had no chance.

"You have to look after yourself, Carter," he'd said with a smile. "And you have to look after Junior there too. Look, I'll be just fine. Janet here will look after me and Teal'c and Danny are around. I'll be fine."

In the end she'd gone – knowing all along she really didn't have any choice. As she'd left Jack had given her a big grin, which would have relieved her if it wasn't for the not-so-hidden fear in his eyes.

She'd called that afternoon and had been told that Colonel O'Neill was just fine and was being sent home that day. Janet had been busy but Lieutenant Overly, one of her senior nurses, told her that he was up and smiling and laughing and she mustn't worry.

That made her feel a bit better – that was, until she remembered how good Colonel O'Neill was at pretending everything was fine. He could laugh his way through a Goa'uld pain stick. Until she saw him she wasn't going to relax.

She'd finally heard from Janet, who said he was being discharged and sent home. "He's doing well Sam," she'd been told, "and there's really no need for me to keep him here. I've told him to take the week off and rest but he's healthy and seems to be adjusting well."

"Janet, you know what he's like! What if he's pretending?"

She could hear Janet sigh over the other end of the phone. "Then there's not much I can do Sam," she said. "There's nothing physically wrong with the Colonel, he's responding appropriately when asked questions, has been joking and talking to the staff. I really have no reason to keep him."

"I know Janet," Sam closed her eyes briefly. "Just - watch out for him, okay? You know what he's like."

"Of course I do Sam and of course I'll look out for him. That's my job. But I'm also watching out for you, and I want you to stop worrying. Jack will be just fine. It's you who has to watch out and not overdo it!"

They chatted for a few more minutes and then Sam hung up. She still couldn't get rid of the feeling that Jack might _not_ be as happy or as well as he seemed.

She puttered around the house for the rest of the afternoon, doing a bit of housework and making herself a batch of cookies. Okay, if she were really being honest with herself, _she_ wasn't the one she was baking for. Eventually she grew tired and decided to lie down. She just wished Jack was with her.

The man in question was, at that very moment, sitting outside her house in his truck. He sat for long enough that he grew concerned one of the neighbors would call police. So, with a deep breath he got out of his car and walked to her front door.

" _Colonel_!" she exclaimed when she opened her door. "Sir, what are you doing here?"

He licked his lips, suddenly afraid that he'd made a big mistake in coming. She was talking to him as if – as if nothing had happened between them, as if she hadn't spent hours holding his hand in the Infirmary, as if they hadn't made love with each other. Maybe she'd gotten over him in the last few months. Could she be regretting everything? But she hadn't seemed that way when he'd been found. God – what an ass he was. Why had he come over?

"Uh – sorry Carter, I just thought – uh, maybe I should go? I know it's late. I didn't mean to -"

"Don't be silly S- Jack, come in." She stood aside and watched as he entered her small house. She wanted to kick herself. Why had she reacted the way she had when she opened the door? She certainly wasn't unhappy to see him – just surprised. But the way she sounded he probably thought – damn!

"Have a seat," she told him. "You're looking good. How are you feeling Colonel?" She closed her eyes. What the hell was wrong with her? She was talking to him as if – as if there was nothing between them but their professional relationship. She put her hand on her belly and took a deep breath.

"Fine – I'm – fine," he nodded at her from his seat on her couch. He felt horribly uncomfortable and was on the verge of giving an excuse to leave. He opened his mouth, but before he had a chance to talk she'd spoken.

"Are you hungry? I made some chocolate chip cookies. How about I fix some coffee and you can try one -"

"Uh – okay," he nodded. It gave him and excuse to stay, although the last thing he wanted was anything to eat.

"I'll be right back," she told him, turning quickly toward the kitchen. She needed to get away for a minute – to try and settle her nerves.

What the _hell_ was wrong with her, she wondered as she filled the kettle with water? She should have simply welcomed him by opening her arms to him, but instead she'd acted as if she didn't want to see him and now she was treating him like – like they'd never made love, like they weren't expecting a child together, like he was Colonel O'Neill and she was Major Carter.

"How are you feeling Sam?" His voice, from right behind her, startled her and she jumped, almost dropping the mugs in her hand. "Sorry," he apologized, suddenly looking incredibly uncomfortable – and large – in her kitchen.

"Oh, that's okay," she laughed self-consciously. "You just startled me. Uh – I can bring you the coffee in the living room."

"Nah, I'll just sit here," he pulled out a stool and leaned up against her breakfast counter, attempting to appear casual. In actual fact. "So, how are you doing?"

"Me? I'm fine. Big," she laughed self-consciously. "And I get tired more easily, but everything is good."

"Junior's okay?"

"Yes," she smiled. "The baby is fine."

"Have you – do you know if it's a boy or girl?" he asked. His fingers where tapping the counter and he didn't look at her. He was trying to appear relaxed, but she knew Jack O'Neill well enough to know that he was anything but. She could always tell by looking at his hands. They were the only things he was never able to control when he was nervous.

She reached out and put her hand over one of his, stopping the tapping. "I don't know," she said softly. "I wanted us to find out together."

At that he lifted his eyes to hers and the pain in them caused her to exclaim. "Oh Jack!"

She walked around the counter and reached out to him. He turned slightly so that he could put his arms around her – and pull her to him gently.

"I missed you so much," she said, her lips touching the top of his head. "And I'm so glad you're back."

His arms tightened, although he was careful to be gentle. "Me too," he laughed softly. "I missed you too. I thought – I didn't -" he stopped, his throat constricting so that he couldn't continue.

"What?" she asked, lifting her head so that she could see him.

"I didn't think I'd ever get to hold you again," he confessed. "I wanted to – so badly. I wanted to touch you, to _feel_ you – and I couldn't."

"I'm so sorry," she whispered. She lifted her hand and gently caressed his face. His eyes closed and he leaned into it, allowing himself to _feel_.

"Thank you," he said finally.

"For what?" she looked at him, a small frown between her eyes.

"For waiting – to find out about junior," he smiled, "and for – for being you."

"You don't have to thank me," she said softly. "Of _course_ I waited. We're in this together you know!"

He smiled at her and leaned forward so his head was resting gently on her belly. "I felt the baby, you know," he said after a few minutes.

"Really?" she looked at him in surprise. "You mean when you – were on the planet?"

"Mmm hmm. It was weird. I tried touching you – when you were there – but I couldn't," he stopped and took a breath. "But then I put my hand where your stomach was, and I felt the baby. It was – wonderful."

She kissed the top of his head, too overcome to say anything. She'd probably try and figure out how that could be at a future time, but for now she simply allowed herself to be grateful for the miracle he'd experienced. "It was strange," she said after a minute, "but I felt like you were there a couple of times."

"Mmm – must mean we're meant to be together," he told her with a small smile.

He was looking a bit better than when he'd arrived, she noticed, but he still had a – wounded – look about him. She couldn't imagine what it had been like and knew that Janet and the others were wrong. Jack _wasn't_ okay – but he would be. She would make damn sure of it.

"Janet said you're off for a few days."

"Yeah," he said, finally allowing his arms to drop when he heard the kettle whistle. Sam walked over to make the coffee, allowing him a moment to regroup. "I told her I didn't need to be off, but she figured I needed the rest." He snorted. " _Rest!_ It's not like I've been doing a lot lately."

"No, but you do need some time," she told him gently. She brought over a cup of decaf coffee and a plate of cookies. "What you went through – I think you need to focus on taking care of yourself."

"Yeah, maybe," he shrugged. His eyes then moved to the cookies – but he didn't reach to take one. He knew that he _should_ be hungry – that he loved cookies – but he still had trouble eating. It was weird and it bothered him. "And anyway," he finally said, lifting his eyes from the plate, "it's not like I have a choice," he told her. "Janet told Hammond and he ordered me off base."

"Think of it as a holiday," she told him. "You can relax, read a good book, watch TV -"

He grimaced. "I'll be bored." He finally forced himself to reach out and take a damned cookie. Now putting it in his mouth was going to be another thing.

She watched him curiously, wondering why he was eyeing the cookie with such – trepidation. Surely Janet wouldn't have let him out of the Infirmary if he were still refusing to eat or drink. "It's just a cookie Colonel," she finally said. "I promise, there's nothing bad in there."

His head shot up and he blinked. "Huh?" he said, startled by her words.

"It's just a regular cookie."

He sighed. "I know," he said, putting it down. "I guess I'm just not hungry."

"You need to eat Sir," she told him. "If you don't I'll think you're scared of my cooking."

He stared at her for a second. "Carter, we're _all_ scared of your cooking," he told her.

"Colonel," she laughed. "That's not fair. I am a perfectly fine cook – and an even better baker."

"I don't know Carter – I remember some of the things you've made on missions!"

She laughed again, knowing that he was trying to lighten the mood – and probably distract her from the fact that he wouldn't eat. "All I've ever made on missions are MRE's Sir. You and Daniel were the ones to create the myth that I couldn't cook."

"Sure Carter!" He was smiling however – until he looked at the cookie. Then he got an intent look on his face, picked it up and forced himself to take a bite. It actually tasted really good.

Five minutes later he'd polished off four of them. He finally glanced up at Sam, who was grinning at him. "See, I told you I knew how to bake."

"That you did Major – I take it all back. Those were -"

"Good?"

"Delicious!" he grinned. "But now I have a stomach ache."

She giggled and stood up – slowly, since that's all she could do, and reached for the mugs and place. "That's what you get for pigging out," she told him.

"Sit down Sam," he told her, standing up and taking the dishes from her hands. "You made the cookies, the least I can do is clean up."

She watched him wash up, thinking how domestic this was. The Colonel was definitely looking more relaxed than she'd seen him since they rescued him, but she was pretty sure he didn't want to go home.

"Colonel," she said quietly, wondering if she was making a mistake.

He turned to her, his eyebrows raised. "Yeah?"

"I wondered -"

"You wondered?"

"If you'd – like to stay here tonight?" she said quickly. "I mean – not - I'm not asking – you can stay in my guest room if you'd like. I just thought you might not want to go home – alone – right now."

His jaw clenched tightly – only because he had to stop himself from immediately saying 'yes'. He briefly closed his eyes, feeling the relief wash over him.

But should he stay here? Suddenly he didn't know if it was the right thing –

"Please?" her voice interrupted his internal argument. "I don't want – I missed you Jack," she said finally, "and I'm afraid if you go – I'm afraid you'll disappear!"

"Oh Sam," he said, putting down the dishrag and walking over to her quickly. "I'm not going to disappear!" he said, pulling her carefully to her feet. "I'm so sorry to have left you for so long – but I'm here to stay, I promise."

"Here?"

"What?"

"You'll stay here tonight? Please?"

The grin slowly split his face. "Nothin' I'd like better Sam," he finally answered. He again wrapped his arms around her and gently placed his head on hers. "Nothing at all!"


	28. Sleepover

_**Just to let everyone know I'll try to update this when I can. My life is crazy busy now - with a hectic job that takes most of my time. I'm sorry! I will finish all my stories, although not as quickly as I would like. Thank you for your patience. Vini**_

She could hear him padding around, getting ready for the night. He'd helped her make up the guest bed with clean sheets and then had told her to "go lie down Carter." She'd grinned and left, only to return a moment later with clean towels.

" _Carter!_ "

"I'm going Sir," she told him. "Lifting up towels in not hard on me, I promise."

"No, but worrying about me _is_. I'll be fine just – go to bed!"

"Okay, okay. You know if you need -"

"I'll find whatever I need Sam, don't worry. Now _go!_ " He pointed to the door with his finger. She simply grinned and left, feeling better than she had in a long time.

After a few minutes the noises next door stopped and the house was quiet. She was tired and thought she would soon fall asleep, but instead lay there, thinking about the man in the room next to hers. She really wished they were at a point where they could be together, but she knew their relationship was still too new. She laughed then, and patted her belly, thinking how strange it was to be beginning a relationship with her baby's father when she was within weeks of giving birth.

Allowing herself to think about being a family – with Jack and her and their child, finally sent her off to dreamland – a smile on her face.

Jack tossed and turned but was unable to rest. It was too dark, too quiet. Every time he closed his eyes he panicked that if he slept he would turn back into a ghost and that this time, he'd be stuck forever. After almost two hours of restless moving and fear he finally got up and swung his legs over the side of the bed.

"Oh hell!" he muttered softly. He knew this was probably stupid, but right now he didn't care. He didn't want to be alone, and right next door was not only another human being, but the one he most wanted to be near. With a soft curse at his weakness he stood up and made his way to the door of his bedroom.

A moment later he was opening Sam's door – slowly, quietly, so as not to wake her. He couldn't help but smile when he saw her, her face illuminated in the moonlight. She was on her side, her hands up by her face, and she was asleep.

He stared at her for a long time, simply enjoying being able to watch her, to look at her with no one judging him.

He slowly moved forward, his bare feet making no sound on the hard wood floor. He stopped when he reached the bed and again smiled. She was damned cute when she slept.

Being incredibly careful – black ops training came in handy for a number of things – he moved the comforter back. He gingerly sat on the side of the bed but froze when Sam muttered and moved her head. After a second she settled down and he slowly lifted his legs, one at a time. Again, she moved slightly, although didn't appear to be waking up.

It took almost ten minutes of slow, stealthy movement, but eventually he was beside her. His last step was to pull up the comforter, which he did without disturbing her. He grinned. Success! With that he closed his eyes and allowed the soft breathing next to him, and the warmth of her body to lull him to sleep.

Sam woke up a couple of hours later, sighing, although resigned to the fact that regular trips to the bathroom were now part of her nighttime routine. She was positive her baby loved swinging on her bladder!

She tried not to wake up completely – if she stayed half asleep she could get up, do her business and be back in bed and asleep in under five minutes. It was only as she was pulling off the covers that she felt something strange. With a frown she turned her head –

"Gggghh!" she let out a strangled cry, only to bite off the sound at the last minute. She took a couple of deep breaths, to try and still her racing heart, and then simply stared at the sleeping man beside her.

Jack! How he had managed to sneak into her bed without waking her up was beyond her. She should have been concerned or even embarrassed, but instead decided to be happy that he felt like he could join her. She knew he still suffered, that he was still traumatized by his experience on the planet. If sleeping with her was what he needed, then who was she to argue.

She shook her head and smiled – and then swung her legs over the side of the bed. A pregnant woman's bladder waited for no man!

Once she returned to her bedroom she stood beside the bed, staring at the still sleeping man. He looked – relaxed, she thought. For the first time since he'd gotten back from his hellish planet he seemed to be resting peacefully. Being alone must still terrify him, she knew. She should have invited him directly to her bed in the first place. A second later she admitted to herself that there was no way she could have done that – not when things were still so tentative and so new between them.

"You gonna get back in?" Jack's sleepy voice startled her. She looked over at him, to see his half lidded eyes looking at her.

"Yes," she nodded and climbed in and pulled up the covers. Since she could no longer sleep on her back she rolled to the side – this time facing Jack.

"Hope you're okay with this?" Jack asked, still sounding half asleep.

"Of course," she told him. She yawned and closed her eyes. "You're welcome in my bed anytime." With that she yawned again and was soon asleep.

Jack, on the other hand, woke up at her words and stared at her in surprise. A moment later he grinned and allowed his eyes to slowly shut once more – but not before he had reached out and put his hand over hers.

By the time she woke up the next morning, Jack was already out of bed. She could hear him puttering around in the kitchen and a moment later smelled something good. After stopping in the bathroom she made her way out to the kitchen to see what he was up to. She found him standing over the stove with her apron tied around his waist.

"Whatcha doing?" she asked.

He turned around and gave her a blinding smile. "Hey sleepyhead! I'm just making my amazing pancakes."

"Amazing, eh?" she lifted her brows.

"Yup! Special ingredient."

"Don't tell me – Guinness?"

"Samantha Carter! Would I put alcohol into a pregnant woman's pancakes? Nope, not Guinness, but that's all I'm telling you."

"Really? Even if I bribe you?"

"Nope."

"Tickle you?"

"Not ticklish."

"Mmm hmm," she said disbelievingly. "Okay, then - beg you?"

"Nope."

She sighed. "So what can I do to convince you to tell me the secret ingredient?"

He looked at her with a wicked grin and then waggled his eyebrows suggestively.

" _Jack!"_ she giggled. "You're bad."

He continued to grin but turned back to his pancakes. "So, would you like one?"

"One? How about three?"

"Three it is," he said, plopping them on her plate. "Junior hungry?"

"I don't know about junior, but Mommy certainly is."

Jack froze at that and stared at her. A moment later he blinked and took another pancake out of the pan.

"Jack?" she asked, concerned about his reaction.

"Oh – just hearing you call yourself "Mommy" – I guess -"

"You guess?"

He shrugged, appearing rather embarrassed. "I guess it made it seem real."

"And it wasn't real before?" she asked, looking down at her stomach, her eyebrows raised.

"Well yeah but – this now it's even _more_ real. This is the first I've had time to – you know – process things since I got back and before – well, you weren't as pregnant then. It didn't seem as real."

"Oh," she answered, not quite sure how to react. Jack had seemed to be pleased after he'd first found out, but he was right – he hadn't really had time to deal with anything since he'd been back. She also knew that he still suffered from the trauma of the last few months, and maybe having a child on the way was now an added -

"Sam," he interrupted her thoughts by leaning over and touching her arm. "I'm happy about junior – and you're gonna be a great Mom, so stop worrying. It was just hearing you call yourself Mommy that got me."

She gave him a crooked smile and rolled her eyes. "Okay," she finally responded. "As long as you're -"

"I am," he nodded. "Now eat your pancakes before they grow cold!"

"Uh Sam," he said a few minutes later, after they'd finished breakfast. He was looking uncomfortable and she wondered what was wrong.

"What?"

"I'm just – I'm sorry about last night," he said quickly, looking down at his hands, which were clenching and unclenching. In Jack's case his hands really were the windows to his soul.

She reached out and gently grasped one of them. "You don't have anything to be sorry _about_ ," she told him quietly. "I'm glad you felt you could come to me."

"Yeah – well, I – it's stupid," he finally said, looking angry. "I'm a grown man, for God's sake!"

"Yes, you are," she nodded. "But you're also a man – a human being – who's been through something terrible and you need some time. And if sleeping with me makes it easier for you to rest, then I say don't worry about it. It will get better."

"What if I don't want it to," he said after a pause.

"What?" she said, looking adorably flustered.

"What if I don't want to get better," he said with a crooked smile. "I kind of – no, hell, - I love sleeping with you."

"Oh," she answered, her eyes wide.

"And I mean _sleeping_ ," he explained, although his eyes suddenly began to twinkle. "Not that I don't like _not_ sleeping with you," he told her.

She could feel herself blush – which was really silly since here she sat with the obvious proof that they _had_ done more than sleep together.

Suddenly Jack's expression changed, and lines appeared between his brows and the twinkle left his eyes. "I'm moving too fast aren't I? I'm sorry," he told her, his hands threading through his hair.

She pushed herself to her feet and walked over to where he sat. She reached down and he frowned – until he realized she wanted to take his hands. Once she was holding them she looked him straight in the eye.

"No, you're not going too fast," she told him. "You know how I feel about you and I'm _glad_ you came over here – and I love sleeping and – uh – _not_ sleeping with you too. You are welcome to stay at my place and in my bed as long as you want," she told him. "And one day -" she stopped and swallowed, her sudden burst of courage draining out of her.

"And one day?" he asked softly. "Sam?" he nudged her when she didn't answer.

She took a deep breath and decided to just go for it. "Someday I hope that we can stay together in _our_ place , with _our_ family – and sleep together every night," she answered in a rush.

He stared at her blankly for all of five seconds – five of the longest seconds of her life. But then she watched as a light seemed to appear in his eyes and the corners of him mouth began to tilt upwards. "Why Samantha Carter," he said softly, "was that a proposal?"

She blinked in panic and opened her mouth to deny that that was what she had meant. But then she snapped her lips together and stared at him intently. Finally, with another deep breath she answered him.

"Yes – I mean, I love you Jack and I want us to be together – but only when you're ready," she said quickly, her courage again deserting her. "I don't want to pressure you, and I know it's too ear –

He pulled his hand from her and reached up and gently covered her mouth. "Yes," he said when she was forced to stop speaking.

"What?" she stuttered as he lowered his hand.

"Yes," he said again.

Her head tilted and she looked at him in confusion. "Yes -?"

"Yes, I accept," he grinned. "Yes I want us to live together – forever – and raise our family together and sleep in the same bed. And it's _not_ too early – not for me."

She continued to look at him, unsure quite what to say. It was only as she saw the tightening of his eyes and a shuttered look come over his face that she realized she'd stood silent for too long. Slowly she allowed her lips to curl into a soft smile. "Well then," she said, "you realize that if we live together and become a family -"

"What?" he asked suspiciously, his eyes squinting.

"You'll have to tell me all your secret recipes."

He stood frozen, as if in a deep quandary for a few minutes. Finally he grinned. "It's a deal." Jack continued to smile thinking he'd just made the best deal of his life.


	29. Just Fine

_**So, everyone probably thought that I fell off the face of the Earth! So sorry for taking forever to finish this story. I've lost some of my Stargate muse – although I've been rereading some good SG1 stories lately and that's helping me get back into it. I hope everyone hasn't forgotten the story – but I continue it now. It's getting close to the end … finally!**_

"Just let your partner relax against you, and then try and breathe together," the instructor told them.

Jack glanced around at the rest of the room, filled with couples like Sam and him. He felt incredibly uncomfortable sitting here like this. All the others had been coming for a few weeks while this was his first class. He felt like an idiot.

Sam had told him, after their breakfast together, that she had to go to her pre-natal class later that morning. They only had time to get showered and changed before heading out.

Janet had gone with her while the Colonel was missing, but now she wanted him to come. She smiled when she told him, and he could tell that she was pleased and excited to have him with her. He didn't have the heart to tell her he was dreading it.

He'd been overseas during most of Sara's pregnancy and hadn't even made it back for Charlie's birth. His son had been three weeks old before he'd seen him. He'd hated not seeing his son right after he was born, but had been secretly pleased he hadn't had to attend the actual birth. He was a soldier and somehow felt that he wasn't the right person to be around while a new life was coming into the world.

Part of him knew he was being silly, but he couldn't help it. He wondered if he would be gentle enough, or if he'd do something stupid and hurt Sam or their baby during labor. And what if he panicked? That would just make things harder for her. He wanted to tell her to keep Janet as her birthing coach, but seeing her pleasure in having him with her, made him hesitate.

"Just relax Jack," the instructor – Amy – told him. "The more relaxed you are, the more relaxed Sam will be. Just close your eyes and breathe slowly. It can also help to start gently caressing her baby bump."

Jack moved slightly, trying to get more comfortable – not that he didn't like having Sam sitting between his legs and leaning back on him – but his back was getting sore. Still, he had to admit that he could really get used to having Sam between his legs! He smirked at that thought, just glad that Sam couldn't see him right now.

But now he had a problem! He could feel his body start to respond to her proximity, and had to have a severe talking to himself. There would be none of _that_ for a while – at least until she'd had the baby and recovered. But suddenly he felt incredibly happy knowing that it was something he could look forward to.

He thought back to breakfast and couldn't help but smile. She wanted to live with him. She wanted them to be a family.

A family. He had a quick stab of sorrow, thinking of the family he had lost, but he stopped that thought in its tracks. He couldn't afford to think about that – not now. It wouldn't be fair to Sam, and it wouldn't be fair to his new child.

His hands were lying gently on Sam's stomach, and he carefully began to caress her. He grinned when he felt the movement of the baby against his hand. He pressed a bit harder and felt another kick. His child! That was his child. He felt a rush of love and gratitude for the women he was holding.

He heard her sigh, and then her head leaned back and rested against his shoulder.  
"That feels nice," she said softly.

He kissed the top of her head, and forced himself to relax even more. This wasn't so bad! In fact, it was really nice. He glanced around again, to see the other couples all doing what Sam and he were doing. No one was looking at him. No one was judging him for being in the wrong place. He could do this!

"It was nice having you come today," Sam said as they walked to the car after the class. He wasn't looking at her so he didn't see the worried glance she gave him.

"Mmm," he replied, sounding distracted. He reached down and opened the door for her. While normally she would have given him trouble for being so "old fashioned", now she appreciated it. It wasn't the door that was the problem – it was that she had trouble folding herself into the car. She found it much easier when he helped her.

"I hope you didn't mind coming with me," she said after he got into the car. "Uh – if you'd rather not do this, I can ask Janet again." It had been obvious to her that Jack had felt uncomfortable in the pre-natal class. He'd relaxed at the end, but she was sure he'd hated the whole thing. She sighed, wishing that things were easier between them.

"Huh?" He glanced over at her just as he was about to start the car. He looked confused. "You don't want me to come?"

"No – yes, I mean, I just thought _you_ didn't want to come. I'd like to have you with me."

"Oh. You're sure?"

"Of course," she nodded. "You're my – the baby's father and -"

"And?"

"My – I don't know what to call you – boyfriend seems so – juvenile and partner seems so – cold."

"How about "my love," he said softly.

Her eyes immediately filled with tears and she wanted to undo her seatbelt and move over and hug him – but of course she couldn't. She was too big and the consul was between them. "That's – lovely," she said, her voice cracking. "Yes, you're my love."

He grinned and started the car. "And for the record, I _want_ to go to the classes _and_ to be at the birth."

"Good," she said, breathing a sigh of relief. "You seemed as if you were – uncomfortable in there."

He glanced at her with a rueful look. "I was," he admitted. "In fact I felt like an idiot. All the other partners had been there before _and_ they were all a lot younger than me."

She snorted and shook her head. "Jack, you did just fine. No one would have noticed anything and anyway, -" she stopped.

"And anyway?" he prodded, glancing over at her.

She grinned. "You're _way_ sexier than any of them, _and_ you've travelled in space, and met aliens, and saved the world. Believe me, _none_ of them can compete with you."

He looked impossibly pleased with himself for a moment, but then he grew serious. "You know, you probably _would_ do better with Janet. I'm probably not the best person to be there," he said quietly.

"Why not?" she asked gently, suddenly sensing that there was something deeper going on than she could figure out.

He shrugged.

"Jack!"

He took a breath and glanced at her, and then back to the road. "Carter – I'm a _soldier_. Just a rough and tumble guy. Are you sure you want me there when our child is born?"

She was frowning, confused by his words – when suddenly she realized what he was getting at. His sense of worth – of _goodness_ had been severely damaged over the years of fighting. And then there was his son – she knew that he still blamed himself for Charlie's death. She knew that she had to figure out the right way to deal with this.

"Jack, I'm a soldier too."

"Yes, but it would be a little hard if you weren't there either," he grinned, looking at her out of the corner of his eyes.

She snorted and rolled her eyes. "Yes, that would be quite a feat. But you know what I'm trying to say. We've both seen and done things we aren't proud of, but that doesn't make us any less loving parents. This is your _child_ that is going to be born, and I can't think of anyone I'd rather have with me at that time than you! And I want you to be one of the first people our child sees."

"You're sure? Even if I'm a klutz?"

This time _she_ grinned. "You're not a klutz and you'll do just fine. And look at the bright side."

"What bright side," he looked at her askance.

"You're not Daniel. He really _is_ a klutz!"

He barked out a laugh. "Oh yeah! I don't really know how he's managed to assist at so many births," Jack said. "It's a good thing he didn't drop any babies."

" _Jack_!" his loving girlfriend scolded him. "So, you're going to come to the next pre-natal class."

He looked at her carefully. "They're not going to show any birth videos are they?" he asked.

She frowned. "Well, they might. I mean, all of the women are getting close to our delivery dates so I expect they'll want us to view a birth."

"Can I close my eyes?" he whined.

"No you cannot," she laughed. "Don't tell me you're scared to look at a baby being born?"

"It's not the _birth_ that bothers me," he said "it's having to look at– you know."

"At what?" she frowned. Suddenly she laughed. "You mean you're shy about looking at – well _that?_ Surely you've seen it before. In fact I know you -" she stopped abruptly and turned bright red.

Jack glanced at her and laughed. "Why Samantha Carter, you're embarrassed."

"I'm not the one who doesn't want to look at a birth video," she defended herself.

"I'm just keeping myself pure for you," he answered, sounding self-righteous.

Sam snorted and then laughed. "Okay – but you still have to come to the classes and to the birth. I want you there."

This time he grew serious. "Of course I'll be there. I wouldn't miss this for the world."

They stopped and had lunch at a little 50's diner and chatted about silly, inconsequential things while they ate. It was only when Jack put his fork down for the last time that he grew serious.

"So, are we going to do this thing?" he asked.

Sam frowned. "This thing?"

"Mmm – live together," he said, referring back to their conversation at breakfast.

"Do you want to?" she asked seriously.

"Yes," he answered, equally as seriously. "I'm just not sure what exactly that means."

"Well, I think it means we share a house," she told him, her eyes twinkling.

"I know _that_ ," he rolled _his_ eyes. "I meant – which house? Are you going to move in with me or am I going to move in with you? Or do we move into a new house together? And when do we move? Before or after the baby? And -"

"Okay, okay," she chuckled, "I get it. Well, I don't think we really have time to look for a new place – maybe we can think of that after the baby comes. So for now, we have to decide who should move. I think – your place is bigger," she said after a few seconds. "Maybe that would be easier."

"Yes, but you're comfortable in your house, and you don't need the hassle of moving when you're about ready to pop."

"Ready to _pop_ ," she asked, her eyebrows raised. All she got in return was a mischievous smirk. "Okay – I'm happy to stay in my place for now. You're right, I don't really feel up to moving. But what about you?"

"Me? I'll just bring a few things over for now," he told her. "We can worry about the final move after the baby."

"Okay, if you're sure?"

"Yeah, I'm sure," he answered, sounding totally calm about the whole thing.

Sam, on the other hand, was a mass of nerves. She had no idea what it was going to be like to live with the Colonel and prayed she hadn't made a mistake. Colonel O'Neill could be a challenging person – and if she were honest, so could she. Maybe they should have –

"Sam!"

"What?"

"You're doing it again."

" _What?"_

"Thinking. You're thinking too much. It will be _fine_ , I promise. We're going to have to make some adjustments, but we've known each other for a long time. We already know one another's faults."

"Yes but – what if -"

"What if _what_?" He stared at her for a second and then he grinned. "You're worried that I'm gonna be hard to live with, aren't you?"

"I didn't say that," she answered defensively. "I mean, I might be even harder to live with than you."

"I'm sure you will be," he answered calmly as he picked up the bill.

" _Jack!"_

"What?" he smirked. "I've been married before and you haven't," he told her. "So I know what I'm getting into. And Sam – I'm really not hard to live with – just ask Sara. We had a – a good marriage before we lost Charlie," he looked down at that and was silent for a moment. He looked up when he felt Sam's hands cover his.

He squeezed her hands and looked at her earnestly. "I'm not saying I'm perfect, and we both know that, but I am saying that I know the give and take of living together. And I _promise_ not to order you around. I'll leave Colonel O'Neill at work and if I don't – well, you can kick my butt."

"Promise?" she smiled.

"Oh yeah. But that also means you have to leave Major Carter at work too. We're equals in this relationship Sam – and both of us will need to work on being together. I'm sure there will be some fights – but as long as we remember how much we care for each other, we can work things out."

She regarded him for a few seconds and then nodded. "Okay. Just promise me one thing."

"What?"

"That you won't leave the toilet seat up. Because if I fall in the toilet when I get up at night, I _will_ zat you!"

"Okay," he chuckled, "that's a deal – as long as you _promise_ not to use my razor to shave your legs."

She scowled at him. "I can't even _see_ my legs," she complained. A second later her face cleared. "Hey, _you_ can shave my legs for me!"

He rolled his eyes. Life as a couple was about to begin.

"Hey, you're sounding happy," Daniel fell in beside him as he was walking to his office. He'd been gone for a week, and was finally starting to feel like he wasn't about to disappear at any second. Having spent the last seven days with Carter had helped.

"What's up?" his friend asked. "Did you have a good rest while you were off?" Daniel had been asked to accompany Sg6 to a planet they'd recently visited. It had a number of well-preserved ruins, and on the walls they'd discovered some kind of ancient text. Daniel had been itching to go, and once he was sure Jack was okay, he'd asked the General for permission to accompany the team. He'd just returned the night before.

"Yeah," Jack replied. He headed into the commissary, with Daniel at his heals. "I rested and now I'm back. Have you seen Teal'c?" he asked as he grabbed a tray.

"Teal'c?"

"Yeah, you know, the guy with the gold tattoo on his forehead and the bulging muscles. Have you seen him?"

"No – at least, not today. I saw him when I got back last evening. Why, is he missing?"

"No, I just haven't seen him and I wondered." Jack filled his tray with the lunch special, a bowl of salad and a small piece of chocolate cake. Daniel was impressed. Jack had stared at the _huge_ piece of cake, but had exercised some control by taking a much smaller one.

"I think he went to visit Rya'c while you were off, but he's back now."

"Mmm," Jack murmured, although he didn't answer directly. He carried his tray to a nearby table, and sat down. To no surprise, Daniel ended up joining him. "So, you're feeling better?"

"Yes Daniel," Jack said with a touch of impatience, "I'm feeling better. I'd feel even better if you stopped _asking me_! Just let me do my thing."

"Uh, okay." Daniel was silent for a few minutes, simply watching Jack eat. It was just after Jack took a big bite of salad, that Daniel struck. "So, what is it?" he asked.

Jack looked at him as if he'd lost his mind. "What's _what_?"

"Your thing. What thing do you do?" Daniel looked at him innocently.

"Bugger off Jackson," Jack said cheerfully. "You ready to go off-world?" he asked after chewing for a few minutes.

"Off-world? Really?"

"Yes Dr. Jackson, _really_. It is what we do, you know."

"Oh, you mean it's _our thing_." Daniel grinned at him and took a bite of his sandwich. "I just wondered if you'd been given the okay to go yet."

"No," Jack scowled for a second, but then his face cleared. "It's alright though. I don't really want to go off-world with Sam so near to having the baby. But Hammond said he may put you and Teal'c with another team for the next while."

Daniel nodded but then he looked intently at his friend. "So, things going okay with you guys?"

"Who? Me and Teal'c?"

"Ha ha! You know what I mean Jack. How are things between you and Sam?"

"Fine," Jack answered, staring down at the cake.

"And -?"

"And what?"

"Aren't you going to say more than "fine," Daniel asked him.

"Mmm – no."

" _Jack,"_ the younger man whined. "Come on. We've been worried about you and Sam – well the last few months were hell for her."

The Colonel sighed and put down his fork. He gazed across the table for a few seconds and then gave a short nod. "Okay – then things are going _really_ fine."

"Really fine?" Daniel asked hopefully.

"Yes. In fact -" Jack paused and then glanced around. When no one was watching them he turned back. He might as well tell - his friends would find out soon enough. "We've moved in together."

There was silence for all of five seconds, when a grin suddenly blossomed on Daniel's face. He pumped his fist and muttered _"yes!_ Can I -"

"Yes, you can tell Teal'c," Jack sighed. "But other than that, keep it quiet."

"Okay, I can do that." Daniel couldn't stop grinning. "This is great Jack – congratulations. Wow – living together. I never thought I'd see the day!" A moment later Jackson looked around and then slowly stood up. "Uh – I'm really happy for you guys. But – uh – I'd better get back to work," he muttered. "You know – lots of artifacts to catalogue and things to – uh – translate."

"He's probably in the gym," Jack said, finally talking a bite of cake. "If not there, check out the ammunitions room. The last time I talked to him he wanted to check out some of the staff weapons we'd collected."

Daniel looked slightly sheepish, but nodded. He then moved away from the table towards the door.

"And tell him to come and say hi!" Daniel gave him a wave and then was gone. It wa only then that a slow smile began to form on Jack's face. He took another bite of cake and sat back. Life was good.

"Yup," he muttered, "I get to have my cake and eat it too!"


	30. The Proposal

_**Thank you all, for your kind reviews! I'm so glad you haven't forgotten me! As a thank you, here is another chapter.**_

Jack grunted as Sam changed position for the twentieth time. He prayed that this time would be it – that she'd get comfortable and would _finally_ drop off to sleep.

He held his breath – she hadn't moved in all of three minutes. Maybe this was it! Maybe he could get some sleep!

Just then he heard her groan, and the next minute she was struggling to sit up. He sighed and turned over and helped give her a boost. She sat up and then swung her legs over the side of the bed and carefully waddled – although he'd never use that word to her since he valued his family jewels – over to the bathroom.

"That child of yours is _sadistic_ ," she muttered as she walked. "It keeps kicking me in the damned _bladder!_ "

He had to agree that their child had it out for them – not just for Sam, but for both of them. He was pretty sure he hadn't had a full night's sleep in the past three weeks. There were moments when he _almost_ missed being a ghost. At least then he wasn't being woken up every twenty minutes.

He sighed and put his arms behind his head. There was no point even _trying_ to sleep – not until Sam got back into bed and fell asleep herself. Then he might get a couple of hours, at least until she had to go to the bathroom again.

He was too old for this, he decided. Who was the brilliant alien who planned it so that an aging soldier should be a father? Although he did have to admit that he was in pretty good shape. He suddenly smirked. Janet told him that with all the alien futzing, he was in better physical shape then guys year's younger than him.

But still – could he keep up with a toddler? He allowed himself to think about what it was going to be like. They'd have to take the kid to the zoo, and to the playground. He'd have to teach it – boy or girl, it didn't matter – to throw a ball and ride a bike. They could go camping together. Hell! They'd get to go to his cabin together and fish and swim and – the smile grew on his face. He may be getting older, but he still had lots in him and he couldn't wait until the kid was old enough to go hiking and fishing with him.

"What are you smiling about?" his girlfriend/lover wanted to know. She climbed back into bed – and although it wasn't elegant, and she was huge with his child, he'd never seen anyone more beautiful than Sam. Once she was under the covers he leaned over and kissed her.

"I love you," he told her.

She regarded him seriously for a second and then smiled sweetly at him. "And I love you too – but what brought this on?"

"Oh, just thinkin' about taking the sprout up to my – our cabin. It'll be fun to take him or her hiking and fishing."

"Mmm – yes it will – although it'll be a little while before he or she can do either of those things."

"Yeah- although we can get one of those baby carrier things and go hiking," he told her. "And we can take the kid to the zoo and the park and -"

Sam laughed and snuggled up to him. "It'll be great," she agreed. "And we'll have to bring Daniel and Teal'c, especially to the zoo. It'll be fun!"

"Mmm – although the lions and tigers might scare him," Jack pondered.

"Him? You mean the baby?"

"No, I mean Teal'c. I don't know if he's ever seen a lion – in real life."

She giggled and swatted him on the leg. "He's not going to get scared." She snuggled into him even more and closed her eyes, starting to feel tired again. "I can hardly wait until this baby gets here," she murmured.

"Me too," Jack agreed wholeheartedly. He really wanted to see his son or daughter – _and_ he wanted to sleep through the night.

"Don't you be thinking you're going to sleep when this baby is born," Sam said softly.

"You reading my mind?" he asked, startled.

"Mmm hmm. You're thinking you can hardly wait to sleep. Well, for the first little while the baby will be up a lot – and you'll be up changing diapers."

"Hey, that's no fair. How come I've got to do that?"

"Because," she said, sounding almost asleep, "you won't be able to feed the baby." She sighed and relaxed, almost asleep. "Your nipples are useless."

He laughed as he looked down at a now sleeping Sam. He then leaned over and kissed her on the head – and then scooted down and closed his own eyes.

"Now, for a _few_ minutes sleep," he prayed to the universe.

"You are looking tired, O'Neill," Teal'c told him at breakfast the next day. "Are you not resting properly?"

"No," the Colonel mumbled, staring into his coffee cup. "Sam has to pee."

Teal'c's eyebrow went up and he looked enquiringly at Daniel Jackson, who simply shrugged.

"I do not understand, O'Neill."

Jack blinked and looked up at his Jaffa friend. "She has to pee – every few minutes. I swear her bladder can't hold more than a thimble-full. She's up – down, up – down, up – down, so much that I want to scream. I am _so_ tired."

By this time Jack's head was almost on the table. His eyes were drooping closed and every few seconds his head jerked as he tried to stay awake. A second later he was lying with his head on the table, sound asleep.

"What are we going to do?" Daniel asked Teal'c. "We cannot leave him here."

"Why not?" Daniel asked. "No one will bother him here."

Teal'c thought about it for a moment but then nodded. "But will he not wake with a sore neck?"

"Yeah, probably," Daniel sighed. With that he reached over and shook his friend. "Jack. Jack, _Jack_!"

"Huh?" the Colonel jerked awake and sat up, almost knocking his coffee cup off the table. "What is it?" He looked around the room, but didn't see anything unusual.

"It's nothing," Daniel told him. "You just fell asleep on the table and Teal'c thought you might wake up with a stiff neck."

"Thanks Teal'c," Jack told the big guy as he rubbed his neck with his hands. "Sorry about that – just really tired!"

"Why do you not go and rest in a VIP room," Teal'c told him. "I shall explain things to General Hammond."

"Uh – I don't know if the General is going to like having me sleep during the day."

"I don't think he wants someone so exhausted they start to make mistakes _either," Daniel told him bluntly_. Look Jack," Daniel said, "You're still recuperating from the last few months and then on top of that you have the worry of a new baby. I'm sure the General will understand – and if not – well then, we'll sneak you back into work."

Jack thought about it for a few minutes but then decided that he desperately needed to sleep. If the General didn't like it, well he could yell at him.

He pushed himself up and stumbled but eventually headed towards the VIP rooms. Five minutes later he was curled up on the bed, relaxed and sleepy and there was no one to bother him, no one to wake him up. His eyes closed and began to drift. This was the life!

"So, you have everything you need?" Daniel's voice startled him and woke him up.

"Damn it!" he muttered. "Daniel, will you _please_ go away."

"Oh – uh – yeah, sure. You gonna be okay?"

"Yes – if _someone_ will let me sleep! Now _go_!"

"Geesh – okay already," Daniel walked to the door, opened it and let it slam shut. "He sure is crabby!"

And he wasn't the only one.

Sam tried to find a comfortable spot on the couch but found it as difficult as finding a comfortable spot in bed. She was hot, huge and her back was killing her. The doctor told her that the baby was big – not surprising considering both she and Jack were tall – but it was causing her no end of discomfort. And it had gotten worse after the baby dropped.

Of course it meant that she was getting closer to D-Day – but it also meant that she was horribly uncomfortable.

She wiggled again – and tried once more to concentrate on the document in front of her. General Hammond had been kind enough to have Dr. Lee send over notes from some of the latest technology that had been found by one of the Sg teams. She was trying to make sense of his notes, but her brain felt particularly dense and she couldn't concentrate.

Her inability to concentrate was frustrating to her, but Jack teased her that now she was only _twice_ as smart as everyone else. In actual fact, she felt particularly stupid.

Her whole focus was on the upcoming birth and the fact that she was going to be a mother. Jack told her that was normal – it was nature's way of preparing her. But even if it was normal – it was something she had never experienced before and she was finding it hard.

She was also nervous. She didn't know if she was going to be a good mother or not. _Could_ she look after a tiny little being? What if she got distracted and something happened to it? She could get so focused on her experiments that sometimes she forgot things. God, that would be awful!

Jack laughed at her when she told him, and she'd wanted to hit him as a result. But he'd assured her that her "Mommy" radar would be in full gear and not to worry. And then he'd gone and gotten serious, which had made her want to cry.

"And _I'll_ be there Sam," he'd told her. "And believe me when I saw that I'm going to do everything in my power to make sure our kid is okay. I – may not have been the best father the first time, but this time – I promise – I'll watch over him or her."

She'd thrown her arms around him and had squeezed him as hard as she could. "I know – and there's no one I trust more to be a good dad than you," she'd assured him. That had earned _her_ a hug – although a slightly gentler one.

Her mind suddenly started thinking, not about the baby, but about the baby's father. The last few weeks had been amazing. Jack had been funny and loving and supportive and just – the man she'd fallen in love with. He had gone back to work, but came home on time every night and made sure she was happy and well. All her concerns about living together seemed to melt away. He was kind and considerate – and much neater than her.

For the first time, the idea of spending the rest of her life with this man became real. They really _were_ a family – now a family of two and soon to be a family of three. It was more than she'd ever hoped for – more than she'd ever thought possible.

The only thing that could make life any better, was for Jack to want to marry her.

"I'm home," he called. It was just after four and she looked at her watch in surprise. She made her way – slowly – to the front door.

"You're early," she noted as she reached him and gave him a kiss.

"Yeah," he grinned, "Hammond told me to go home."

"Really? Not much going on?"

"No – or yeah – maybe, I don't know." Jack shrugged and looked a bit sheepish. "I think I was driving him crazy."

"What did you do Jack?" she asked, her hands on her hips.

"Me? Nothing," he said innocently. "I think -"

"What?"

"Well, I'm just a bit distracted."

"Distracted? Why?"

Jack looked at her in playful disgust. "Oh, maybe because my girlfriend is about to have my baby any day now – my "conceived because of aliens baby". Anyway, the General said to say hi."

"That was nice of him," Sam said. "What else did he say?"

Jack grinned. "Uh –to try and keep me out of trouble."

"Oh, he expects miracles, does he?" She looked at him and shook her head. "Well, I'm glad you're home," she said, giving him another kiss.

"You missed me?" he asked with a twinkle.

"Actually, it's because I want you to make dinner. I'm hungry and I don't feel like cooking." With that she gave him a grin, and then turned and headed back to the living room.

Jack sighed and headed towards the kitchen. He'd forgotten the joys of pregnancy.

"Jack?" Sam's voice woke him just as he was falling asleep. He grunted, hoping that it was nothing important.

" _Jack_?"

He slowly turned over and opened his eyes. "What?"

"What do you think about -"

"About what?" he prodded after she had been quiet for a few seconds.

"Uh – marriage," she said quickly.

He frowned and propped his head up on his hands. He figured this was not going to be a quick conversation. "What about it?"

"Do you _want_ – I mean – how do you feel about – being married – again?" she asked in a rush.

"Well," he thought for a moment, "it depends."

"It does?"

"Mmm hmm."

"On what?" she asked, sounding impatient.

"On who I married," he told her. "There are some people – you know, Nem's sister, or Chaka's cousin – I wouldn't want to be married to _either_ of them."

Sam choked back a laugh. "But you don't _know_ if Nem even _has_ a sister – or if Chaka has a cousin."

" _Every_ one has a cousin," he said. "And she isn't pretty."

"Not to you," his girlfriend said. "But to another Unas she's probably pretty."

"Maybe, but _I'm_ not going to marry her."

"Okay – so no marriage to an Unas or one of Nem's people."

"No – couldn't take living in all that water."

"Okay – but how about – other than with them?"

Jack watched her for a second. "Well, if it was with the _right_ person, then I think marriage would be wonderful. In fact, I'd really _like_ to be married as long as _she_ wanted to be married."

"She?"

"Mmm hmm – she. You know, the she who is not an Unas."

"Oh – _that_ she."

There was silence in the room and she could tell that Jack was falling asleep – or at least pretending to fall asleep. She wanted to hit him. How much more obvious could she be? He seemed to want to get married, but why wasn't he –

"It's not always the man who has to ask, you know," he murmured.

"What?"

"Sam, we're living in a modern age. It doesn't have to be the man who asks."

"Oh," she answered, surprised. She looked at him for the next few minutes, until she finally reached down and punched him in the shoulder.

"Hey," he cried, opening his eyes. "What was that for?"

"Well, I don't want you to sleep through a proposal," she said.

At that Jack's eyebrow went up, followed soon after by his mouth. He pushed himself up until he was leaning against the headboard. "Okay, I'm awake," he told her.

She laughed and then awkwardly got onto her knees on the mattress beside him. She took his hands in hers and looked him directly in the eyes.

"Jack O'Neill,"

"Yes," he smiled.

"You are the man I love. You are the father of my child and the companion with whom I want to spend the rest of my life."

"I love you too," he whispered quickly, before she put her hand over his mouth.

"Jack?"

"Yes Sam?"

"Marry me?"

He smiled at her. "I thought you'd never ask!" he told her.

"And I'm waiting for your answer," she replied.

"Then yes. Yes I'll marry you."

She laughed and then leaned forward and kissed him softly on the lips. "I love you," she murmured into his mouth.

"And I love you too – fiancé," he whispered in return.

With a continued smile Sam scooted down until she was lying flat, and Jack soon followed. The two of them lay, cuddled up together, both with smiles on their faces.

A moment later Jack fell asleep. He was going to marry the woman of his dreams.


	31. The Wedding

So now Sam wanted to plan a wedding! He'd told her they could wait until after the baby, but she'd started to obsess about being married before their child came.

"Sam, no one is going to think anything of it. A lot of couples get married after the fact. And this way, you'll be able to get married when you're not so -"

"What? _Fat? Huge? Humongous?_ An elephant _?_ Or maybe a _cow?_ How about a _cow elephant!"_

He stared at the red-faced, livid woman across from him and decided retreat was the best form of valor. "Uh, I was going to say _tired_ ," he murmured. Of course that caused her to burst into tears.

"I'm sorry," she cried. "I'm so awful. You must _hate_ me!"

"No, no, of course not," he said as she cried all over his shirt. "I love you. You're just tired and sore and – hey, why don't you lie down and I'll give you a back rub?"

Back rubs always gained him brownie points as there was nothing Sam loved more. He went and found the oil and a few minutes later was massaging a naked Sam.

As his hands slowly stroked her silken skin, he knew that the last thing she wanted right now was sex. Unfortunately, it was about all he could think of. They hadn't done anything for – well, for forever – and he was horny as hell.

"Hydrogen, helium, lithium, Beryllium, Boron, Carbon, Nitrogen, Oxygen, Fluorine, Neon, Sodium -"

"Jack," she laughed and tried to turn around. " _What_ are you doing?"

"Hmm?" he said, still desperately trying to distract himself, especially since he could now see her _breasts_!

"What are you saying? It sounded like the periodic table?"

"Magnesium, Aluminum, Silicon, -"

" _Jack!_ "

"What? Phosphorus, Sulfur, Chlorine, Argon, -"

"What are you _doing_?"

"What? Me? I'm not doing anything. Just giving you a backrub."

"And reciting the periodic table. What's up?"

Of _course_ she'd have to ask that, he groaned. Didn't she know that that was the _problem_? _Something_ was up and there was nothing he could do about it. "Potassium, Calcium -"

"Jack, would you stop it! Why are you reciting the Periodic table?"

He sighed and pulled his hands away and rubbed his face with them, getting oil all over himself. "Because – you're sexy as hell!"

She slowly turned over, from her side to her back. "What?"

"You're sexy as hell, and there's not a thing I can do about it," he told her roughly. "So I'm naming all the elements."

"Why?"

"To distract myself."

It took her a few seconds, but finally her eyes grew big and she glanced down at the evidence of his problem - "Oh," she said. "I didn't realize." For a moment she sat there, and then her face broke and she started to laugh. "I'm sorry," she gasped. "But – the _periodic table_? Jack, you must have it bad!"

"I do – and why _not_ the periodic table?"

"I didn't even know you knew it."

"Of course I know it. And stop laughing! You don't know how – hard – this is!"

She giggled at that and leaned forward, her hands on his chest. "I'm sorry," she told him, this time sounding sincere. "Is there anything I can do to help?"

He simply raised a single eyebrow – causing her to laugh again. "Okay – then lie down and I'll give _you_ a rub."

"A backrub?" he asked carefully.

"Oh no – _not_ a backrub!"

And that shut Jack up completely. Unfortunately – or fortunately for him, he didn't make it past Calcium."

"Sam, let's just have a small wedding now – you know, just our closest friends – and you can plan a big wedding after the baby." He was talking to her as they lay cuddled up in bed together. He was feeling _much_ better than he had been.

She sighed. "I think that's a good idea," she conceded. "I don't have the energy for much else."

"Of course you don't. You're ready to give birth in the next couple of weeks and you deserve to take it easy."

"So, where and when?"

"Why don't you let me handle the details," he told her. "You just worry about getting there!"

He spent the next day arranging everything. It was going to be simple – but there were still a lot of details. He needed a place, someone to marry them, and music. He ended up picking a spot outside – at the Green Mountain Falls pavilion. It was a beautiful spot, and the pavilion was right beside the lake. Next, he hired a minister who could marry them, and found a string quartet that was available to play the music.

He'd spent the day on the phone and, much to Sam's amazement, he'd gotten just about everything worked out. Now he just had the final details. She was going to order the flowers, get her dress and arrange for the cake. That left him with the ring and finding his best man. And _that_ was going to be the biggest problem.

He considered both Daniel and Teal'c to be his closest friends. Could he have _two_ best men? That seemed a bit over the top.

"Why are you looking so serious," Daniel plunked his tray down and sat down across from Jack. "Is something wrong?"

"Hmm? What? No, nothing's wrong. At least nothing that's not solvable. Uh - we're getting married," he told Daniel with a rush.

" _Married_? You and Sam?"

"No," Jack frowned. "Me and General Hammond."

"Really? I didn't think they allowed you to date your superior officer, let alone marry him," Daniel answered calmly, taking a bite of baked potato. Once he was finished his bite he wiped his face and finally grinned. "Congratulations Jack," Daniel told him. "It's about time! I'm really happy for you guys you know. You'll be – you _are_ a great couple." The younger man took another bite and then frowned. "What are you worried about?"

"I'm not worried, not exactly. I have to buy a ring for Sam, and then -"

"Then what?"

Jack sighed and rubbed his hair. "I'm trying to decide who will be my best man. I want both you and Teal'c."

Daniel put down his fork and stared at the man opposite him. "You want – really? Me?"

"Of course," Jack frowned. "You and Teal'c are my best friends. I just don't know how to decide. I want both of you."

"You're really going to ask me to be your best man?" Daniel asked, totally ignoring the issue of Teal'c.

"Yeah – or Teal'c."

Just then the man in question walked up and sat down. "Hello O'Neill, Daniel Jackson."

"Teal'c, they're getting married!"

Teal'c looked over at his friend. "It is about time, O'Neill."

Jack rolled his eyes. "Thanks – I guess."

"I am very happy for you and Samantha Carter," the Jaffa gave him one of his rare smiles. "You are good together. When will the marriage ceremony take place?"

"Saturday," Jack told them

" _This_ Saturday?" Daniel asked, setting down his fork. "Really? Why so soon?"

"Sam wants to be married before the baby comes."

"But won't she – I mean – she's a bit – will she be able to buy – or I guess it doesn't _matter_ , although the pictures – but you love her, so it doesn't make any – are you _sure_?"

Jack and Teal'c both stared at Daniel – Jack with a forkful of food frozen halfway to his mouth. "What?" he finally managed to croak.

"Indeed. You make no sense Daniel Jackson, unless you were referring to the fact that Samantha Carter will have difficulty finding a wedding dress as she is large."

"Teal'c," interjected Jack urgently. " _Don't_ say that within hearing distance of Sam. She's a bit – sensitive about it."

"I shall not."

"So, Jack has asked me to be best man," Daniel suddenly interjected. Of course that caused Teal'c to raise his eyebrow and look, first at Daniel and then at Jack.

Jack wanted to groan. He'd just been given the eyebrow of "I'm hurt, I'm offended, but I'm a strong Jaffa so will pretend I'm not."

"Teal'c, I told Daniel I wanted _both_ of you to be my best man, but that I couldn't decide how to just have one of you. And I _haven't_ decided yet."

"I see." That got him the "nod of understanding".

"May I suggest that, as the elder, I be the one to be your "best man". That is the tradition on Chulak."

"But we're not _on_ Chulak Teal'c and there's no tradition like that on Earth," Daniel told him.

"It is a very good tradition, Daniel Jackson. I believe it is the best way for O'Neill to decide."

"Jack?" Daniel looked at him with puppy dog eyes. "You've known me longer. That ought to mean something."

Jack sighed. "You guys – you're making it much harder than it needs to be. Maybe I shouldn't bother with a best man." Instantly that got him _two_ eyebrows – one from each of the two men.

"Ah hell- you'll _both_ be my best man." That garnered him two smiles, which caused him to roll his eyes. Who would have thought two men who had travelled the galaxy and had saved the world, would be so excited about being a best man.

Later that day he told Sam, who laughed when he told her about the eyebrows. She agreed with his decision though, although she agonized a bit over what it meant for her bridesmaids.

In the end she asked Janet to be her maid of honor, and Cassie to be a bridesmaid. The one thing she felt sad about was her family. Jacob was off on another Tokra mission – he'd had to leave right after Jack was found – and would be unable to attend the wedding.

She did call Mark – who knew about her pregnancy – and fortunately he was able to attend.

"Sir?" Jack poked his head around the corner of General Hammond's office.

"Yes Colonel. What can I do for you?"

Jack stepped in and stood in front of Hammond's desk. "Well Sir, I have a favor to ask."

Things had all come together well. Jack collapsed back into his chair and sighed. Planning a wedding on such short notice was way more tiring than going on missions. He rubbed his neck distractedly and sighed again. He was pretty sure everything was done, although there was still one thing up in the air. He just hoped Hammond came through for him.

He glanced at his watch and realized it was time to go.

"Where ya heading Jack?" Daniel fell in beside him as he headed towards the elevator.

"Just have to go run an errand," he told his friend. "For the wedding tomorrow."

"Really? Need some help?"

"Thanks – no, everything is fine."

"Where's Sam?"

"She's home," he said. "She's working on some notes from Dr. Lee."

"Okay. So, are you excited about tomorrow?"

Jack glanced sideways and grinned. "Oh ya. I must admit, I never thought I'd get to this day."

"I always thought you might retire so you and Sam – you know – could be together."

"I thought you thought we were just friends."

"Last year – yeah. Before that I knew there was something – but you seemed to get over those feelings the last couple of years."

"Mmm – just better at hiding them," Jack admitted. "And since I didn't think it could go anywhere, I had to shove all the feelings down deep."

"And then you went to a new planet and got – uh – ambushed by an alien fertility machine!"

"Ya, I did!" Again O'Neill grinned. "Best damned mission ever."

Daniel laughed at that and slapped his friend on the back. "You're sure you don't need any help?"

"Nah, I'm good. Just don't drop the ring tomorrow!"

" _I_ won't," Daniel answered in disgust. "Teal'c insists he's going to hold the ring."

"Really?" Jack's brow went up. "And you agreed?"

"We compromised. He holds the ring, I get to do the best man speech."

"Good decision," Jack slowed and then stopped. "Daniel," he said, turning to his friend and speaking seriously. "I know I don't say this to you very often but – thank you."

"Uh – for what?"

"For being such a good friend," the Colonel said. "For always being there for Sam and me. I can't tell you how much that means."

"You don't have to," Daniel replied, "because I feel the same." He reached out and grabbed Jack's arm and squeezed it before letting go. "You and Sam are my family."

A few seconds later Jack turned and strode down the hallway. Daniel remained standing still, simply looking after one of the best men he had ever known.

Jack arrived right on time, and waited until he saw the fair man step out of the airport terminal, followed by a woman and two pre-teens. He grinned. It took only one look to see the man's resemblance to one Samantha Carter.

He stepped out of his car and called to the man. "Mark? Mark Carter?"

Mark turned and spotted Jack and then raised his hand and led his family to where Jack was parked.

"Colonel O'Neill?" Mark asked.

"That's me!" He walked around the car and put out his hand. "It's nice to meet you Mark. And you must be Stephanie," he smiled. Finally, glancing at the boy and girl he grinned. "I'd know you two anywhere. You look just like your aunt! Hi, I'm Jack O'Neill and you must be Erin," he smiled at the girl, "and you're Liam. It's nice to meet you all. Let's get your luggage loaded and then we'll head out."

Mark and Jack chatted all the way to the hotel, with Stephanie throwing in a few questions and comments from the back seat. The kids spoke, although Erin was a bit shy. She also had her aunt's beautiful blue eyes.

"It's nice to finally meet you," Mark said after a few minutes. "We've heard so much about you from Sam."

"Really?" Jack's brows went up and he glanced at the man next to him. "Do I want to know what she said?" he asked.

Stephanie laughed. "You don't need to worry," she said. "It was obvious she thought a lot of you – and I long suspected she felt more for you then as her Commanding Officer."

"Really?" Jack asked, sounding pleased. "But you do know that – there wasn't anything between us? We were totally professional until – well until we got together."

"Don't worry, we know. Both my Dad and Sam explained things to us," Mark said. "I'm just glad you were able to get together once Sam changed jobs."

Sam had simply told Mark that they had gotten together as a couple once she'd moved onto a science team and off the "Deep Space Telemetry" team that Jack was on. Jacob had backed up the story and Mark and Stephanie had accepted it. Jack was grateful that there was no question about Sam's and his relationship. He didn't want anything getting around that could harm her reputation.

"Here we are," Jack said as he pulled into his driveway. "Sam's waiting for us inside."

"I feel badly for putting you out," Stephanie said.

"You don't need to. I've been staying at Sam's anyway. I didn't want her to have to move her stuff this close to the baby coming. I'm just glad you were all able to come."

"I wouldn't miss my little sister's wedding," Mark grinned.

Sam had ordered food for everyone and they spent the evening talking and laughing. Sam was thrilled her brother came and at one point got all teary eye'd.

"Pregnancy hormones," she explained as she dried her eyes.

"It's okay," Jack told her softly. "You have every right to be emotional. This is big occasion."

"It is," she nodded, smiling. "I can't believe we're getting married!"

"I know. In fact sometimes I still wake up thinking I'm going to get into trouble for sleeping with you!"

She sighed and leaned her head on his chest. "I'm sorry."

"Sorry? What for?"

"That sleeping is _all_ we're doing," she lifted her head and looked at him.

He chuckled and gave her a hug. "Oh, I seem to remember a few other things," he kissed her forehead. "And you have nothing to apologize for. I _love_ sleeping with you and we have plenty of time for – other things."

She sighed and and leaned forward. "I love you."

"And I love you!"

The next morning they got up and had a leisurely breakfast and then Janet came and whisked Sam away to her house, where she was going to get dressed. Before she left she and Jack hugged.

"See you at our wedding Ms. Carter," Jack whispered.

Jack proceeded to get dressed and was all ready and waiting when Daniel arrived to pick him up. Teal'c was sitting in the backseat in Daniel's car – closely resembling a sardine.

"Isn't that a bit tight?" he asked his Jaffa friend as he got into the front seat.

"I am fine," Teal'c replied, "although I have informed Daniel Jackson that he needs to purchase a bigger automobile."

"It's good on gas," Daniel explained as he pulled out of the driveway.

"So, anything to report?" he asked his friends.

Daniel turned to him and smiled. "Yup – General Hammond came through. They're on their way."

"Excellent."

The guys arrived to find everything ready and waiting for them. The quartet began playing and soon guests started arriving. He had originally planned to invite only their closest friends, but news of the wedding had gotten out, and everyone from the SGC started wrangling for an invite.

Jack walked to the gazebo and looked down at all his friends and colleagues, and realized again how very fortunate he was. A moment later he saw George Hammond arrive and then he saw the person beside him. Jack breathed a sigh of relief and headed over towards Hammond.

"Welcome Sir," he said. He then turned to the other man. "Jacob! I'm so glad you could make it. Sam will be thrilled."

"No way I was going to miss my little girl's wedding," Jacob told him. "You're looking better Jack."

"I'm feeling good Jacob. So, no trouble getting away?"

"We – ell," Jacob looked slightly uncomfortable.

"We are absent without leave," Selmak took over and confided. "The High Council refused to even let us even know of General Hammond's request. Fortunately Freya and Anise relayed the message and we decided to come."

"You're not going to get into trouble I hope," Jack said.

Jacob simply waved his arm. "We'll be fine, although I'm sure some of the High Council are wetting their pants right now!"

Jack laughed. "Well, I'm glad you're here."

"Where do you want me?" he asked.

Jack was once more up at the front, Teal'c and Daniel beside him. All of the guests had arrived, and Jack had a sudden bout of nervousness. What if she didn't come? What if she changed her mind? What if she was suddenly had the baby? What were they thinking, having the wedding this close –

"She is here," Teal'c whispered. And sure enough, he could see Janet and Cassie walking up the path, a very pregnant, and absolutely stunning Sam in between.

Just as they reached the back of the chairs, Jacob appeared from the side and put his arm out. Janet smiled and stepped away.

He could see Sam put her hand up to her mouth – and the next minute she was hugging her father. A couple of minutes later and the music started.

Jack watched as first Cassie, then Janet walked up the path to the front. Then Sam followed – slowly – her arm through her father's.

Jack blinked and wondered why he was suddenly the luckiest man in the world.

"


	32. The NID

_**As always, thank you to my reviewers! I think only one or two chapters left and then ... on to Spring Cleaning.**_

"Congratulations on your marriage Sir," Sergeant Lopez greeted him as he checked in at the main floor security checkpoint. "And please tell Major Carter congratulations as well."

"I will Sergeant, thank you," Jack smiled. He was still feeling pleased with the world after marrying Sam just two days before. They'd decided not to take any extra time off now for a honeymoon, as Jack was planning to use any leave he had for after Sam had the baby.

"And Sir, General Hammond asked that you go to see him immediately."

"Okay Lopez, thanks." He headed towards the elevator, wondering what George wanted with him. He hoped it wasn't anything serious. He _so_ didn't want to deal with an alien attack _and_ a baby at the same time.

"You wanted to see me Sir," he said, poking his head around Hammond's door.

"Yes Colonel, please come in." It was only when Jack entered that he realized other people were in the office. There was a rather unctuous looking man in a suit, and a middle-aged woman, also in a suit. He felt a shiver run up his spine. People in suits usually weren't good news.

"Colonel O'Neill, these people are David Aronson and Maggie Simpson of the NID."

The shiver turned into full-blown dread. The NID were _never_ good news. Although part of him also wanted to laugh when he heard the woman's name. One peek at her sour looking face, however, assured him that she did _not_ watch the Simpsons.

"Mr. Aronson, Ms. Simpson" he nodded. He wasn't going to shake hands because he _knew_ these folks were trouble.

"Colonel," Aronson nodded – and even his head nod was full of arrogance. "We're here today about a very serious matter.

"Of course you are," said Jack pleasantly.

" _Colonel_ ," warned Hammond. He knew his subordinate well.

"Yes, well, it has come to our attention that you may have been guilty of fraternizing with an officer under your command – an officer by the name of Samantha Carter. By the way, where _is_ Major Carter?"

Jack's eyebrows went up and he looked at the General enquiringly, although he didn't answer his question about Sam. There was no way in hell they were going to get hear to her, not when she was within days of giving birth.

"I tried to explain to Mr. Aronson and Ms. Simpson that we investigated the matter of the alleged fraternization thoroughly and no fault was found with either you or the Major. He doesn't seem to feel that we're being – honest – in our evaluation." The General too refused to talk about Carter.

"I'm sure you understand General," the suited man said condescendingly, "that we need to be 100% sure that no – mistakes – were made."

"So, you're calling the General a liar?" Jack asked bluntly.

Aronson's neck went red, but he was clearly restraining himself so all he did was give a small, insincere smile. It was Simpson who answered. As Jack looked at her he was sure she must have eaten a truckload of lemons before coming here. She had to be the sourest person he'd ever seen.

"Of course we are not calling him a liar," she said, her tiny mouth sneering and her big nose turning up. "But we know how much General Hammond – values Sg1 – and we know how easy it is to not look at things totally _objectively_."

"You're saying the General wasn't _objective_?" Jack asked incredulously. "I see! So, what do you want?" Jack asked bluntly.

"The NID have asked that you and Major Carter be put on unpaid leave pending a full investigation," Aronson said. "Once it is determined whether or not you were guilty of these charges then further action, if warranted, will be taken."

"So, it's a witch hunt is it?"

Simpson pulled herself up, and looked disdainfully at Jack. "Colonel, how dare you -"

"Ms. Simpson, can the holier-than-thou attitude. We all know the NID has been out to get Sg1 for years. General – what do you suggest?"

"I have a call into the President, Colonel and until then _nothing_ is going to happen. I agree with you – this is a witch hunt and I'm not going to have any part of it."

"Sir, you can't refuse to -"

"This is _my_ base Ms. Simpson, and until I get instructions from the President, I can do any damn thing I want."

Both Simpson and Aronson looked like they were about to swallow their tongues, but then Simpson nodded. "Can I ask where Major Carter is? She was supposed to be here as well. I would like to interview her in private."

"Nope, sorry, no can do." Jack replied.

"Colonel, it is not up to you to tell me I cannot interview the Major. I demand to see her immediately!"

"No, you can't see her," Jack told her, his eyes flashing angrily.

"General!" Ms. Simpson was clearly outraged. "I demand -"

"Ms. Simpson, I have already told you. This is _my_ base and here you don't demand anything. Major Carter is not here. She is already on leave and will not be interviewed by you or anyone. Now, I'm going to have Sergeant Harriman show you to VIP suites where you can wait until we've heard from the President."

"General, you are playing with fire," Aronson said softly. "I don't think you realize how serious a matter this is. I suggest you cooperate."

"Sergeant," Hammond hit the button on his desk, practically breaking it in his anger. A moment later Walter appeared, took one look at the situation, and knew there was trouble.

"Yes Sir?"

"Show Mr. Aronson and Ms. Simpson to two VIP suites and – for their protection – have guards posted at their doors."

"What -" Aronson started to object, but Hammond interrupted.

"It is for your safety," he told them. "Colonel O'Neill and Major Carter are very popular officers and I wouldn't want anyone to say something that might – offend you." He turned to Walter. "Make sure that the guards remain with them at all times. They are only allowed to come to my office or the Commissary."

"You will hear from our superiors, General," Aronson hissed. A moment later the two NID officials had followed Walter out of the room.

"Thank you Sir," Jack said quietly. He looked to the still-fuming General. "What's going to happen General?"

"I don't know son. I'm going to talk to the President and find out what the hell is going on. Try not to worry Jack. We'll get this settled."

Jack left the office feeling both worried and angry. They didn't need this right now, not when all of their focus was on their coming child. He should have known the NID would use this – he only wondered what had taken so long.

He went in search of Daniel and Teal'c, needing someone to talk to. He didn't want to worry Sam.

"Hey Danny," he knocked on the younger man's door, to find Daniel totally engrossed in looking at a stone tablet of some unknown original. At least it was unknown to him – something he couldn't care less about.

"Hey Jack," his friend said, not looking up.

Jack watched him for a moment and then cleared his throat.

"Uh – just a second. I almost – have – no, it can't be _curse_ – could it be _blessing_? But that doesn't seem like it would make sense in the context of -"

" _Daniel_!"

That caused the other man to glance up, although his attention was immediately caught by the tablet again. A second later he put it down, seeming to belatedly realize something was up with his friend..

"Jack? Is everything okay? How's Sam?"

"She's fine Daniel – she's doing some work from home."

"Hey – that was a great wedding," Daniel grinned. "I'm so happy for you guys."

"Yes, it was great, wasn't it?" Jack smiled, but a moment later his face grew serious.

"What is it? What's wrong?" Daniel immediately caught on that something was bothering the Colonel.

"The NID showed up," was all he said.

"Crap! Is it about you and Sam?"

"Yeah. I expect they found out I had returned and decided to strike. God I detest them."

"Me too. What is going to happen?"

"I don't know. The General is holding them off for now, but I expect they're putting pressure on the President. I wouldn't be surprised if he caves. He can't afford to be seen letting us get by with something."

"But you didn't. It was obvious that it was alien influence."

"Yeah, but do you think the NID are going to listen to that? They're not interested in the truth."

"O'Neill?" Jack looked up to see Teal'c standing in the doorway.

"I have heard that representatives from the NID are here. Are you alright?"

So Jack explained why they were here. Teal'c said something in Goa'uld which caused Daniel to laugh.

"Never mind," he waved when Jack asked him to translate. "Teal'c just used a very colorful expression to describe the NID's mothers! So, what are we going to do?"

"I don't know," Jack sighed, putting his hand through his hair. "Maybe I should just resign. That's what they want anyway."

"I do not believe that is all that they want O'Neill," Teal'c said. "I believe they would like to see you be punished."

"I think Teal'c's right. And if you resign, they'll probably go after Sam."

"If they harm her – I'll make sure and wrap them up and send them as a gift to Ba'al!" Jack hissed. Daniel and Teal'c looked at one another, sure that Jack was serious.

"Will they not accept the evidence of the alien object," Teal'c said a few seconds later. "Chloe Angstrom and Dr. Lee can speak of their experience."

"Oh, they'll like that!" Daniel muttered. "But I'm sure they'll testify to help you."

"They probably won't let them," Jack said morosely. "I'm sure they have it all figured out. Both of the NID folks look like slimy snakes!"

"There are two of them?" Teal'c wanted to know.

"Yeah – a guy by the name of Aronson and a woman – get this, by the name of Maggie Simpson! Sadly she is not nearly as nice as the cartoon. In fact, she reminds me of Sister Mary Margaret – my seventh grade Religion teacher. Her favorite thing was hitting my hands with a ruler!"

"Why would she hit your hands with a ruler?" Teal'c wanted to know.

"Because she said I had the devil in me and she wanted to drive it out."

"I see," nodded Teal'c. "That is understandable."

Daniel laughed although he also gave Jack a sympathetic look. He'd met his fair share of "Sister Mary Margarets" in his years in the foster care system. A moment later, his expression became calculating.

"Wait a second – are they still here?"

"The NID folks? Yeah, Hammond had them escorted to VIP suites," the Colonel said.

"You know, I think we should show them the alien orb."

" _Show_ them? Why? And anyway – do we still _have_ it? I thought the General was going to jettison it into space."

"He wanted to but the folks at Area 51 wouldn't let him. They want to check it out, but the General has been fighting to have it sent back to the planet. So for now it's still here."

"Okay – but again – why would we show it to the NID?"

"Well, it _is_ the main piece of evidence. Maybe if they see it they'll believe you."

"I doubt that," Jack rolled his eyes. "They're not really interested in facts or proof."

"I agree with Daniel Jackson," Teal'c said suddenly – his face showing no expression. "We must show them the orb."

"Uh – okay, if you say so. You'll have to get the General to agree, and then you'll have to get _them_ to agree, which I doubt."

"Just leave it to us Jack," Daniel told him with a pat on the shoulder. "Just leave it to us!"

That evening Jack went home – to his _wife_! He should have been happy, and he _was_ happy to be married to Sam – but the damned NID had him worried.

He thought again of Daniel and Teal'c, and wondered what the hell they had planned. He sighed and drove home – trying to think only of the woman who was waiting for him.

"Okay – spill!" Major Samantha Carter stood in front of him, her hands on her hips and a very determined look in her eye. Of course the picture was _slightly_ spoiled by the fact that she was also sporting a huge, nine-month pregnant belly and she was wearing one of his Simpson's t-shirts.

"Uh spill what?" he asked innocently.

"Jack, don't try and hide anything from me. I know you too well. What happened that you're not telling me?"

He sighed and pulled her down so that she was sitting on his lap. He put his face into her hair and allowed himself to breathe her in. God he loved this woman.

"The NID showed up," he said.

"The NID?" She pulled back to look down at him. "What about?"

He didn't answer, but simply rested his head on her breasts, which he had to admit was very nice. A second later she swore.

"It's about us, isn't it?"

He nodded. "Yeah. They want to do an investigation and then they'll probably press charges. George has stalled them for now – he's trying to get the President, but he's having no luck. I expect Hayes is avoiding him."

"Damn it! Why now?"

"They probably were ready to do something before I went missing," he postulated.

"Is there anything we can do?"

"I don't think so, although Daniel and Teal'c are going to see if they can get them – the two NID folks – to look at the Orb. They seem to think that might convince them, although I don't see how."

"They want the NID to look at it?" she asked, sounding puzzled. "Why?"

"I don't know," he repeated.

"You said there are two of them. Who are they? Are they still at the SGC?"

"There's a guy by the name of Aronson – a 30 something prig of a man. I expect he's a lawyer. Then there's a woman – a sour-faced old bag if there ever was one. I'm pretty sure she worked for Ba'al at one time. Her name is Maggie Simpson."

"Really?' Sam grinned, looking down at him. "That's – a coincidence."

"Yeah, but she's nothing like the real Maggie Simpson," he sighed regretfully.

"And how old is she?" Sam asked.

"The NID woman? Oh, I'd say late fifties, early sixties. Why?"

Sam grinned, then laughed. "I think we should let Daniel and Teal'c do what they can. I just wish I could be there."

It was only after they'd gone to bed that night – Sam's back spooned up against him and his arm circling her belly – that he got it. He couldn't help but laugh. He'd trained his team well.

"I'm glad you're finally cooperating," David Aronson said. "It'll be much better for everyone."

"Mmm," answered Hammond, one brow raised. "Colonel O'Neill and Major Carter will be here shortly. I assume you're not interested in seeing the alien object."

If there was anything the General knew, it was that the NID _always_ wanted to see alien technology – and get their hands on it if they could. He suspected that part of this farce was to get the orb away from the Air Force.

Aronson answered, looking totally arrogant. "Of course we need to see it. In fact, we will need to confiscate it as evidence."

"I don't think that's a good idea," Hammond argued. "It could get damaged. It's best if it stays here under lock and key."

"We shall need to see it before we proceed," Maggie Simpson argued. "We can not fairly evaluate the evidence without looking at the alien orb."We want to make sure that everything is done correctly," she told the General carefully. "So that no one can accuse the NID of being biased."

"Right," the General answered, sounding skeptical. "Well, then, I'm happy to have you _look_ at it, but you must promise me not to touch it."

"We shall take that into consideration," was all Simpson was able to agree to.

George sighed. "I'll have Dr. Lee escort you to the science lab where he's holding the object. And remember – don't touch it!"

A moment later Dr. Lee arrived and was told he was taking the NID people to his lab, where they were going to look at the orb.

"Thank you," Ms. Simpson bowed her head at the General and then began to follow Dr. Lee – who turned back at the last minute to give the General a confused look.

"Just escort them there, and leave them to look at the object in private," he instructed the scientist. "We wouldn't want them to accuse us of trying to influence them."

Lee nodded slowly – and then a grin started to break out on his face, which he ruthlessly quashed. "Yes Sir." He turned and followed the two NID agents down to the lab.

"It's right in here," Lee told them, holding the door and letting Aronson and Simpson through. "It's hanging above the table. You can touch it if you want," he told them. "It doesn't appear to be dangerous."

" _Appear_?" Aronson asked nervously. "You're sure?"

"Well, except for the incident on the planet with Colonel O'Neill. Oh, and it opened once for me." Dr. Lee grinned. "And I'm just fine."

The two NID agents advanced into the room slowly, clearly nervous around ancient technology. Dr. Lee watched until they were almost at the orb, and then he slowly closed the door.

At that moment Teal'c appeared in the hallway. "They are inside?"

"Yes," Lee nodded. "Uh Teal'c?"

"Yes Dr. Lee?"

"Is someone – is there – uh, is someone recording this?"

"I do not know," Teal'c responded. "Are there not security cameras in your lab?"

Slowly Lee smiled. "Yes, there are!" He rubbed his hands together, looking more pleased than normal.

Almost five minutes later Jack appeared, sauntering down the corridor, Sam at his side. "Hi guys," he said.

Dr. Lee and Teal'c both turned and looked at him. "Hello O'Neill."

"Colonel," Dr. Lee nodded.

"What are you two doing here?"

"We are waiting for Mr. Aronson and Ms. Simpson to look at the evidence," Teal'c explained.

"Oh? Really? Well, they wanted to interview Major Carter and me, so I'll just let them know we're here."

Jack walked up to the door and reached for the handle. He glanced back at the others, who were staring at him expectantly. He raised his eyebrows with a question and waited until Sam nodded.

"I think that's enough time," she said quietly.

Jack nodded and slowly turned the handle and opened the door -

\- to find David Aronson standing in nothing but his boxers and Ms. Simpson in her underwear. She had her hands on the waist band of his shorts, with the clear intent of taking them off. Neither of them paid any attention to the fact that they now had an audience.

"Oh goodness," Sam said, sounding guilty. She rushed over – as fast as she could while feeling so ungainly – and pulled Maggie back. "Uh – Ms. Simpson – stop."

Teal'c was doing the same with Aronson, although he had to to actively restrain the man, who was frantically trying to get back to Maggie Simpson. "No," said to Teal'c. "Let me go!"

"Please, stop," the woman cried to Sam. "I need him!"

In the end Teal'c had to pick up Aronson and remove him from the room. It was only when he got him into the corridor that he stopped struggling. Instead he collapsed against Teal'c.

"Oh my God," he said, panting heavily. "What just happened?"

"It was the alien orb," Teal'c explained. "It is what happened to Colonel O'Neill and Major Carter."

Aronson closed his eyes briefly, and then opened them and stood straight. He glared at the Jaffa in front of him. "I bet you all thought that was funny!" he practically shouted.

"No, it was not funny," Teal'c answered. "But it did demonstrate the truth."

"You think that's going to change my mind? Believe me, there's no way that orb is coming near to the hearing. In fact, I'm going to make sure that the object is sent back to where it's from."

"What's he saying?" Jack exited the room along with Dr. Lee. "Sam is comforting Ms. Simpson. She's a little upset."

"It was _you_!" Aronson spat. "You did this?"

"Did what? I thought you were the one who wanted to see the orb."

"You knew what would happen!"

"Well yes, I did, although you didn't believe us, or you wouldn't have tried to have us ruined. Now you know that we told the truth."

"It doesn't matter," the NID suit told him. "No one will see the object."

"They might not," Jack agreed, "but they will see the tape."

"The tape?"

"Mmm – the one of you and Ms. Simpson. All our rooms have security cameras," Jack told him. "I can hardly wait to see it."

"You're going to _blackmail_ us?"

"Blackmail? Who said anything about blackmail? We simply have to review our security tapes regularly and show any unusual activity to our superiors in DC. We are the world's most secure facility you know."

Aronson was seething – but he was also clearly worried. There was sweat on his brow and he was still red.

"Uh – would you like to get dressed?" Jack asked finally. It was only then that the NID agent realized he was standing, practically naked, in the corridor. With a vicious look thrown at the Colonel, he stomped back into Dr. Lee's lab.

"You're going to be fine," Sam consoled Ms. Simpson. She looked around the room and began to collect pieces of clothing and helped the older woman dress. Maggie was shaking and could barely get her clothes back on.

Sam suddenly felt terrible. They had made sure that things wouldn't go too far, but still she felt like their actions were almost an assault. The woman was obviously distraught and Sam wondered if they'd made a terrible mistake.

Just at that moment Maggie Simpson looked up and glared at her. "You think you're so funny," she hissed. "Well, I'm going to make you suffer for this! There's no way that _thing,"_ she pointed to the orb, "will ever be in evidence. You see, we're going to make sure you and Colonel O'Neill – and all of Sg1 are _destroyed_. We were just waiting for something – anything to get you. And now we have the fact that you're having his brat. I'm going to personally make sure your career is _ruined_. And maybe I'll even get them to take that baby away from you – who knows, maybe it's an alien and a danger to Earth!"

Suddenly Sam didn't feel so badly about what they'd done. She looked calmly at the woman standing in front of her. "The video is going to be interesting," she stated calmly. "Not only does it have proof that you conspired against us – but that you and your fellow agent _fraternized_. Isn't that against regulations?"

"What? What are you talking about?" Maggie Simpson began to look worried.

"The security cameras," Sam pointed to the corner of the room. "They will have everything on tape. I can hardly wait to see it."

Just then the door opened and David Aronson walked in, wearing nothing but boxers. He refused to look over to his colleague; instead he collected his clothing and quickly dressed.

"Do you still want to interview us?" Jack asked calmly.

"You think you're so funny," Aronson told him. "Well, you may have won this round, but we're still going to find a way to get you, all of you."

"Mmm – I really suggest that you _don't_ try and go after us," Jack told him. "If I find out you and Ms. Simpson try _anything_ we will release this tape. In fact, I want you to go back and give a glowing report on us to your superiors – and then I want you both to ask for transfers out of Washington. If you don't – not only _will_ I release the tape – but I will ask my buddy Thor for a favor. Now, I think it's best if you both leave _now._ " He turned to his Jaffa friend. "Teal'c, will you -"

"I will show them out," Teal'c agreed. "With pleasure."

Later that night Jack and Sam sat curled up beside one another on the couch.

"I felt guilty for a few minutes," Sam confessed. "It felt – wrong – to put them in that position."

"Yeah, I felt the same. If it had been anyone else, I wouldn't have contemplated it. But they threatened you and our baby. For that they deserved all they got."

Sam nodded and was quiet – but then a few seconds later she giggled.

"What's so funny?" Jack looked down at her.

"Ms. Simpson was really upset," she said.

"And that's funny?"

"No – but the reason _why_ she was furious _is_ funny. I don't think she was mad about what happened, I think she was angry that we stopped everything too soon. I think she had a crush on David Aronson."

"Really?" He looked at his wife, wondering how she figured these things out.

"Mmm hmm. I saw her face when they were leaving. She looked very frustrated!"

"Yeah – I would have felt very frustrated too if I'd been forced to stop in the middle," Jack smirked. "But we were fortunate – we got to go all the way."

"Yes, and look where we ended up!" Sam snuggled into Jack even more, and sighed in contentment.


	33. In the Oven

Jack was a little worried there would be repercussions from the NID caper, but after a few days the General assured him that no investigation was going to take place, and that the matter was finished. Hammond had contacted the President, who let him know that the NID had been told to "can it" and that "O'Neill and Carter can relax."

He informed Sam, who was relieved, although she still felt somewhat guilty over what they'd done. He admitted, to himself if no one else, that he didn't. If there was anyone who deserved what they'd gotten, it was the two NID agents.

And besides which – he wanted to forget them and concentrate solely on his wife and coming child. He was excited and happy and nervous as hell. He was basically useless at work – which everyone from Hammond to the maintenance guy told him bluntly.

So sue him! He was about to become a father again, and if that meant it was hard for him to listen to Felger wax on about some piece of Goa'uld technology that was going to revolutionize gate travel, or listen to Sg3 talk about their last mission where they'd managed to eliminate some major System Lord, or hear from General Hammond about the President's latest budget for the SGC, then so be it. A baby was _way_ more important that technology or system lords or presidents.

A baby was – life, and redemption and joy and – all those things, which he had been sure had been destroyed because of his own stupidity. But now he was being given a second chance, and he was going to enjoy it! So to hell with work!

He was going to be a Daddy!

"You appear very pleased with yourself, O'Neill," Teal'c told him later that day. "What has occurred?"

"Occurred? Nothing," Jack grinned as he walked towards the gym. "Hey, wanna go to the gym with me? I could use a work out."

"Did you not say you were working on reports for the General?"

"Oh yeah – those." Jack shrugged. "I finished them, although they're pretty useless. They're mission reports

"But does not the military run on paperwork?" Teal'c asked.

Jack grinned. "You've got that right! And it's a pain in the ass."

Teal'c bowed his head once and continued to follow Jack down to the gym. He could tell that O'Neill was full of nervous energy, so a good work out was probably just what the man needed.

"How is Major Carter?" he asked.

"Sam?" Jack smiled. "Tired and crabby and beautiful."

Teal'c's eyebrow went up. "She is beautiful when she is – tired and crabby?"

"Oh yeah, she's always beautiful," said her loving husband. "She's just impatient. The baby is overdue by two days and you know Sam – she likes to get things done on time." He grinned even wider. "She's my overachiever!"

"She is impatient about the arrival of your child?"

"Oh yeah – and I guess I am too – but at least the little sprout isn't swinging on my bladder!"

"It swings on her bladder? I did not know that was something human infants could do."

"Nah, not really – I think it's just kicking her. I do feel for her though. I know it's tiring and she feels miserable. I'll be happy when the baby comes."

"It will be a joyous event."

"Yeah, it will!" Jack smiled all the way into the dressing room and until he was on the floor. At that point he had to try and concentrate on what he was doing, although his mind kept flipping back to Sam.

"Hey, were you there when Rya'c was born?" He asked Teal'c as they lifted weights together.

"I remained in another room. When a Jaffa woman gives birth she is only attended by other women. She does not want her husband or other men present."

"No? Wow. Here on Earth the father is usually there. I've been going to Sam's prenatal classes."

"Prenatal? What are these?"

"Oh, they're classes that prepare you for childbirth. You know, they show the woman various positions she can use to give birth, how to breathe for relaxation, videos of actual births, that kind of thing."

Teal'c stopped in the middle of lifting a 300 lb weight and stared at Jack. "You watched a video of a woman giving birth?"

"Yeah – it was – kind of terrifying actually. I'm really glad _I'm_ not a woman."

Teal'c blinked and resumed lifting weights. "I admire you O'Neill," he said a moment later. "I do not believe I would want to see this."

"Scared Teal'c?" Jack grinned.

"I – yes," the big man nodded.

After his work out – which had helped him relax a little bit – Jack headed back to his office. Half-way there, however, he changed direction. He still needed distraction.

"Hey Space-Monkey."

"Jack?" Daniel looked up from the book he was reading, and frowned. "Uh – what are you doing?"

"Nothing. Just thought I'd come and say hi."

"Oh." Daniel set down his book. "How's Sam?"

"Still pregnant."

"I – sort of expected that was the case. She's doing well though?"

"Oh yeah – tired and crabby, but good."

This time Daniel grinned. "Crabby? I'd like to see Sam like that. She's usually the best-natured of all of us."

"Not when she's carrying around a basketball-sized stomach," Jack said. "I love her, but I will be _so_ glad when this kid gets here. "

"Yeah? She giving you a hard time?"

"No, not really. She's actually been great, especially considering how we got into this position. It's just hard because she isn't really sleeping and she's uncomfortable."

"It'll be here soon," Daniel commented.

"Uh huh – and then we _really_ won't sleep!"

"So, have you guys picked out names yet?"

"No," Jack sighed. "She wants modern, weird names and I like good old fashioned plain names. I don't want my kid to grow up with a name like Flavian or something."

" _Flavian_? Uh – Sam likes that?"

"Not really. No, it was more like Aidan or Liam. I think she also wanted Declan. Yuck!"

"Those aren't really modern names. They're Irish and they'd go well with O'Neill."

"Mmm, maybe. I prefer something simpler."

"Like?"

"I don't know – Michael, David – I even like Jacob, although it's a bit different."

"Jacob O'Neill – that sounds nice."

"That's what I thought, but Sam doesn't want to name the kid after anyone she knows."

"You think it's a boy?"

"I don't know. We also have girls' names. Sam wants Caitlin or Breanna."

"Also Irish."

"Yeah, she has a bit of a fetish. I suggested Kathleen but she says she doesn't like the nickname Kathy."

"What was Sam's mother's name?"

"Elizabeth," Jack told him. "I like that and I think Sam would too. Both of us like the nickname Beth."

"Elizabeth O'Neill works well."

"It does, doesn't it? I'll suggest it again. Now we just have to figure out a boy's name too," he sighed. "This naming stuff is hard."

"You could let Teal'c or me decide – as the baby's godfathers."

O'Neill's eyes narrowed. "Godfathers? Who says?"

Daniel smirked. "Teal'c and I. If you can have two best men, you can have two godfathers. And who better to teach him than us? I'll teach him all sorts of languages and all about history and Teal'c will teach him -"

"What?"

"How to talk with his eyebrows!"

Jack laughed and slapped his friend on the shoulder. "Okay, you guys can be godfathers, but _no_ teaching my kid to love ruins! And as for naming – can you imagine what Teal'c would come up with?"

"You don't think we should go with a Goa'uld or Jaffa name?" Daniel grinned.

"Not on your life!"

"You said you liked older names. I could come up with a list. How about Melchizedec? Or maybe Bashanhavothjair? Then there's the ever popular Chushanrishathaim."

"You know, Liam is sounding better all the time!" Jack slid off the stool he'd been sitting on. "I guess I'd better leave you to your book. Places to go, people to see, things to do, you know!"

"Right. Well thanks for dropping by. I'll keep thinking up some good names."

"You do that Danny! See ya later."

"Bye Jack." Daniel sat there for a few minutes after Jack had left, thinking about the changes in the man he called his best friend. After a moment he chuckled. The fertility planet had been the best thing to ever happen to Jack O'Neill.

Jack headed up to the General's office, still feeling too full of nervous energy to sit still. There were a number of things he could be doing, but didn't really feel like starting something new. He'd go and say hi to George instead.

"Colonel, how are you?" The General looked up and smiled. "Come in. To what do I owe this visit?"

"Nothing really Sir. I just thought I'd come and say hi."

"Really? That's nice. So what's up? How's Sam?"

Jack sighed and sat down. "She's doing fine Sir – still waiting on the baby."

"That's tough. I remember when my first was born. Marilyn was almost two weeks overdue and she was miserable. Still, it was all worth it when the baby came. You'll forget about this time once you see your child."

"I'm sure I will," Jack nodded, although there must have been something in his face, because the General immediately spoke.

"Everything is going to be just fine Jack," Hammond said gently. "Sam has the best care, she's healthy and she has you."

Jack sighed and pushed his hand through his hair. "Yeah, I know. It's just -"

"Just what?"

He sighed again and shifted in his chair. "What if I -" he paused and briefly closed his eyes. He didn't want to go here – not now.

"Jack," General Hammond spoke quietly and carefully. "It's normal to feel worried – every parent does. And I understand why for you this is even harder. Look, there are no guarantees in life – I know you know that. But your child is very lucky to have two parents like you and Major Carter. Your child will grow up surrounded by love, and being cared for by two of the best people it has been my pleasure to command. So don't spend time worrying about something that hasn't happened and instead concentrate on the little guy or gal who's going to be here soon".

"I know Sir, you're right. It's just – hard – but I'll be okay, _we'll_ be okay," he grinned. "And I am looking forward to it. Sam says it's because I'm a kid myself and I want a playmate!"

Hammond laughed. "I think she's probably right Jack! But you'll also be an outstanding father. Now I suggest you head home to that wife of yours. I don't want you collapsing with nerves!"

"Me?" Jack laughed, although he stood up. "Fine – if you insist. And – thank you Sir."

"Anytime Jack – now go!"

"I'm outta here General!" He gave a sloppy salute and headed out the door. A moment later he could be heard whistling.

Hammond listened for a moment, grinned and shook his head. "Life would never be boring, not as long as Jack O'Neill was around!

After changing into his civvies, Jack headed towards the elevator and home. Fortunately he didn't run into anyone on the way out. For some reason he was anxious to get home. He just hoped Sam wasn't _too_ crabby.

"Honey, I'm home," he called, with a smirk. Carter always gave him a hard time when he used terms like "honey" or "baby". She said it didn't fit her feminist image.

"Hi Jack. I'm in the kitchen," his dear wife called out. He immediately headed there, but stopped dead when he saw her and the room.

"Uh – what's up?"

His beautiful, _very_ pregnant wife looked up from the semi-iced cake in front of her and gave him a smile. "Jack! You're home early?"

"Yeah, Hammond let me go. Uh – Sam?"

"Yes?"

"What's this?" He held his arm up and indicted the kitchen, a kitchen that looked as if someone had set off a bomb. He turned back to Sam, and only then noticed that she was sporting flour on both cheeks, and a smudge of what he figured must be chocolate on her nose.

"I wanted chocolate cake," she told her husband. "I didn't feel like going to the store, so I decided to make one."

"O –kay," he nodded. "Are you sure you're up to this?"

"Of course I am Jack," his wife scoffed. "I'm not an invalid you know!"

"I know Sam – but -!" He shook his head in wonder. "But that doesn't mean you're not tired or sore. You are carrying baby O'Neill, and that takes a lot out of you!"

"Ha!" she said, pointing a spoon covered in icing at him. "It's not _baby_ O'Neill that takes a lot out of me," she told him, although fortunately the smile in her eyes belied her words.

"You know you love me, Samantha Carter–O'Neill! And I still think you should sit down!"

"I will, I'm just waiting for the cookies to be done."

" _Cookies_? Why in – why are you making cookies?"

"I had a craving – and it also distracts me. You have no idea how tiring it is to simply sit around waiting! So my cookies are almost done."

It was only then that Jack took a good look at the disaster that was the kitchen. He had noticed the cake, but what he hadn't seen was the tray of what looked like lemon squares, a loaf of fresh bread – made with the bread machine – a pie and one plate of cookies. He blinked and slowly raised his head to look at his energizer bunny wife. "Uh – you baked all of this?"

She began to nod, but then suddenly took a sharp breath, put her hands on the edge of the kitchen island, leaned forward and closed her eyes.

"Sam?" he asked suspiciously. "What are you doing?"

There was a delay of about twenty seconds, and then Sam stood straight and looked directly at him.

"I'm in labor," she said, watching him carefully.

"In – _what_?"

"I'm in labor." She then gave him a blinding smile, and proceeded to finish dropping spoonful's of cookie dough on the pan.


	34. Arrival

_**One more chapter to go ... thank you for the continued reviews. And dear readers - remember the title of this story! The intent was to write cliches \- not to be original!**_

"We should go," he told her, nervously watching as she breathed through another contraction.

A few seconds later she stood up straight and looked at him. "I'm fine. It'll be a while and I want to finish these cookies."

" _Sam_!"

"Jack, I'm _– fine_. Why don't you sit down and have a slice of cake."

He glanced at the cake and then back at his wife. For once he wasn't hungry for the sweet confection, too worried and nervous and excited. He slowly sat down, not taking his eyes off of Sam, who continued to drop spoonful's of dough on the cookie sheet.

Jack watched her carefully, in awe at the strength and courage of this woman who had agreed to share his life. He knew he didn't deserve her, and that it was only luck – or fate – or an alien device that had allowed him to have her in his life like this. He also knew that there was no way in hell – or on Earth – that he was ever going to give her up, whether he deserved her or not. He was going to just be happy that –

" _Ooh_." Sam dropped the spoon and bent over, her face frozen with the pain she was clearly feeling from the latest contraction.

"Okay, enough," he said gently. He stood and put his arm around her and gently pressed on her back as she breathed through the pain. As soon as the contraction was done, he turned her so that she was facing him. She leaned forward and rested her head on his chest, her arms held loosely around him.

"I love you," she said softly.

"And I love you too," he told her, kissing her gently on the head. "Now come on Major Doctor Carter – time to go have this baby."

She sighed. "I'm nervous."

"So am I," he told her, "but you're gonna be fine and so is the baby."

"I was distracting myself," she explained.

He laughed and glanced around the kitchen. "So I see. You realize we're going to be eating desserts for the next few weeks?"

"Not if we invite Daniel and Teal'c over," she told him. "They'll go through this in a day."

"Yeah, probably," he sighed. "Except I get the cake."

Just then another contraction came - and with it a small squeak from Sam.

"I think my water just broke," she told him.

"Okay – let's go. I'm gonna help you to the car and then get your bag." He turned sideways, his arm around her waist, and took a step.

"Wait – the oven!"

Jack sighed and let her go and quickly walked over and turned the over off – even though there was a tray of cookies inside. He glanced around again and decided to call Daniel and have him come over and tidy things up, otherwise all Sam's baking would dry out.

Walking back to his wife he quickly forgot about the kitchen and helped her walk towards the front door. They'd only made it a few steps when she groaned and bent over.

He waited while she panted through the next contraction, although he was frowning. She was clearly in much more pain now, and he remembered the birth coach telling everyone it was common for contractions to get more intense once a woman's water broke.

"You okay?" he asked.

"Hurts," she gasped. Her hand clutched his shirt, pinching a bit of skin around his waist. He didn't pay any attention, too concerned about her pain and about the need to get her to hospital. The contractions were coming really closely together.

"Come on Sam – we've got to get going," he told her the moment she stood and relaxed.

"Uh – Jack," she said. "I think -"

"What?" He looked at her nervously and finally just bent and put his arms under her knees and picked her up.

"Jack – I – oh God," she muttered. "I don't know if we're going to make it."

" _What_?"

"I – it's coming again – Jack -" Her face crinkled in pain and she curled over, trying to find a position to ease the pain. By this time Jack had made it to the front door. He stopped briefly, looking around for his keys.

"Jack – _Jack,"_ Sam gasped. "Put me down."

"What?"

" _Put me down_! I'm not – going – to make – it – to the – hospital," she gasped.

"What? No – we have to -"

" _Jack – the baby is coming too fast!_ Put – me – down!"

He turned and hurried towards their bedroom, sweat breaking out on his face and his breathing speeding up. Everything would be okay, he told himself. Sam was strong, she was healthy and – oh God – the baby was coming.

He laid her down gently but she immediately turned to her side and curled up. He wanted to help her, to comfort her, but he also needed to call for – someone.

He picked up the phone to dial –

" _Jack – the baby's coming!"_

"Okay – we can do this Sam," he told her, dropping the phone. He rushed to her head and quickly placed all the pillows behind her and helped her lean back.

"I – need – to – push!" she said through gritted teeth. She was clasping her knees and breathing in short pants, trying to hold off pushing.

With a heart ready to burst from his body like something out of Alien, Jack reached down and quickly pulled off Sam's pants and then her panties. Her knees opened and she placed her feet flat on the bed and began to push almost instantly.

Even though he hated to leave, he knew that cleanliness was imperative, so he turned and raced to their ensuite where he quickly washed his hands and then grabbed all the clean towels he could find. He ran back to the bedroom and placed a couple under his wife, who continued to push.

"And you were baking _cookies_!" he muttered as she relaxed briefly. He heard a broken laugh come from her and the next moment she was pushing again. She moved her feet and braced them against his thighs and he helped her by holding onto her legs.

"Come on babe –you can do this!" he told her as she gasped and gulped in a breath. He watched as she worked harder than she probably ever had in her life, all the while encouraging her – telling her how strong and courageous she was.

He'd lost all sense of nervousness and fear – instead he watched in awe at the power of this woman – of _all_ women. He knew that this was something he could never have done but was grateful that he got to be here, with her, at this moment of life.

"You're so beautiful," he told his sweaty, red-faced, panting wife. "Sam, I love you!"

She didn't respond, too focused as she was on pushing their child into the world. But his words – his _presence_ – meant the world to her. She couldn't express how thankful she was that he was here, with her – that they'd created this child and were now together, welcoming it into this world.

"Oh God – I can see it Sam! The baby – it has dark hair!"

"Like – Daddy," she gasped between pushes.

He laughed softly, but continued to support the woman he loved with everything in his soul. He watched as his child slowly, painfully, made its way into the world.

"It's almost here Sam. Just another good push – come on Babe – you can do it!"

She let out a strangled scream and pushed with everything that was in her. She didn't let up – and he watched as the baby was pushed out farther – and farther – until –

A slippery, pink body was propelled into its father's waiting arms. Jack laughed – a laugh of pure joy and wonder as he held the tiny being. It let out one soft cry and then blinked up at him, almost as if asking what all the commotion was about.

"Jack?" Sam asked, looking down at the baby in her husband's arms. "What - ?"

"Here Mommy," he said, reaching up and placing the baby on her stomach. "Meet your daughter."

She let out a small sob and touched the small infant lying on top of her. "Jack – we have a little girl!"

Tough Colonel Jack O'Neill, Black Ops soldier and galactic hero, laughed and cried, the tears running unashamedly down his face. "She's beautiful," he said. As he spoke he stood and ran quickly to the closet and grabbed one of the baby blankets they'd stored there for when the baby came. He laughed softly again. They certainly hadn't expected the baby to come like _this._

He tenderly laid the blanket over top of his daughter and then picked up the phone, which was lying on the floor by the bed. He called 911 and quickly explained the situation – his eyes carefully watching his wife and daughter.

"They're on their way," he told Sam as he hung up the phone.

At that moment his wife was hit with another contraction and Jack realized the placenta needed to be delivered. He helped Sam get situated again, although she continued to hold the baby. In fact she was attempting to let the little girl latch on to her breast.

"Are you okay?" he asked, wondering if he should take the baby. Sam looked up at him with a glowing smile.

"We're fine," she said. A few moments and pushes later and the afterbirth was delivered.

"So much for our bedding," Jack mumbled. Even with the towels it was stained from the birth – and he really couldn't care less. He would, however, have to remake the bed.

"Jack, the cord?" Sam asked suddenly.

Jack looked down and shrugged. "They said to just leave it," he told her, although he did place the placenta in a towel and wrap it up. "It won't hurt the baby."

Now that there was nothing to do but wait – he could hear the sirens getting closer – Jack sat on the side of the bed. He gently placed his hand on the back of the baby's head. Her eyes were half closed as she suckled at her mother's breast – clearly warm and content.

"How is it?" he asked, nodding at the breastfeeding baby.

"It feels funny," Sam replied. "I don't know if I'm doing it right, but it doesn't hurt and she seems happy."

"Of course she's happy," her proud father said. "She's got the best Mommy in the world."

Sam smiled and looked up at him. "And Daddy," she told him. "Thank you!"

"What for?" He tilted his head and questioned her.

"For being here," she told him softly. "For loving me. For having my back and being at my side all these years." She slowly grinned. "For getting caught in an alien fertility rite with me and for getting me pregnant. For marrying me and agreeing to spend your life with me."

He gazed at her without speaking for a few seconds, and then finally his lips curved into a sweet smile. "Ditto!" he said softly. "I love you so much Sam." He leaned forward and gave her a gentle kiss on the lips, but then his eyes went to his daughter. He chuckled and leaned down and kissed her soft, downy head. "And I love you too little miss."

A moment later the emergency workers were there. They quickly checked out both mother and baby and then the O'Neill family was transported to the hospital. As they left the house Jack grabbed the suitcase that had been packed and ready to go.

It didn't take long for both the baby and Sam to be checked out and declared healthy. The baby got weighed and measured– after having the umbilical cord tied and cut. She weighed 8 lbs 9 oz, measured 22 inches and slept soundly through the whole ordeal. Jack got to help dress her in her little onesie while the obstetrician was still looking at his wife.

The doctor wanted them to stay for a few hours, just to check and make sure everything was okay and that Sam was breastfeeding correctly. After that they were allowed to check out and go home.

"Should you call now?" Sam asked. She was resting in the bed, the baby swaddled and tucked in beside her.

"Yeah." He grinned. "Wonder who won the pool?"

Jack pulled out his cell phone and quickly dialed. "Hi, Danny?"

" _Hi Jack, what's up?"_

"Oh, nothing much. Sam and the baby are just resting and I thought I'd see what you were up to."

" _I was just translating a scroll that Sg4 found on P8Y 3N9. It's written in Goa'uld, but it's an anc – wait_ , _**what**_?"

"What?"

" _Jack – what did you say_?"

"Just that I wondered what you were doing."

" _No, no – before that._ _ **What**_ _did you say?"_

"Before that? Let me see. Uh – just that Sam and the baby were resting. I wondered what -"

" _ **Ja – ack!**_ _What baby? Did Sam have the baby? Is it here?"_

Jack smiled and winked at Sam, who was rolling her eyes at him. "Yes Daniel, the baby is here. She and Sam are both doing fine."

" _She? You had a girl?"_

"Yes, a little girl."

" _Oh my God Jack – congratulations! And everyone is okay?"_

"Yup, just fine – although we didn't quite make it to the hospital. She was born at home. I got to deliver her," he said with pride. Once look at his wife and he continued quickly. "Of course Sam did all the work – and she did beautifully."

" _Is she there? Can I talk to her?"_

"Of course." He handed the phone to Sam. "He wants to talk to you."

"Daniel?"

" _Sam – hi. Congratulations! I'm so happy for you guys."_

"Thank you Daniel. We're pretty happy too. Say, why don't you pick up Teal'c and meet us at home. In fact, if you don't mind heading over there now, I'd appreciate it. I was doing some baking and didn't have time to put things away."

" _Sure Sam, I'd be glad to and I'm sure Teal'c will want to come as well."_

"We're heading back from the hospital in a couple of hours and you'll be able to meet our daughter."

" _Okay – wow, I can't believe you had her. I – congratulations again_!"

Sam signed off and then handed the phone to Jack. "Next?"

"Teal'c?" he said a few moments later. "Hi, Daniel is heading over to our house to wait for us. Are you interested in coming over?"

" _That would be enjoyable O'Neill – if you are sure that Major Carter is not too tired for visitors_."

"Nah – she'd like to see you. And she'll rest on the couch with the baby – and we'll order take-out for dinner."

There was silence on the other end of the phone for a few seconds, and then Teal'c spoke. " _O'Neill, Major Carter has delivered your child."_

"Yup – and she's a beauty Teal'c – all 8lbs 9 oz. And she looks like Carter – although Sam says she has my wonderful personality."

"Sam didn't say anything of the kind," his wife called out in the background.

" _Congratulations O'Neill and please convey my love to Samantha and my God daughter. I look forward to seeing her."_

"And we want to see you too. So just come over with Daniel, okay and you can meet her."

" _And will you reveal her name at that time_?"

"Yup."

" _That is good. I look forward to seeing your new family, O'Neill_."

"Thanks Big Guy. And I can hardly wait to see you, Uncle Teal'c."

After Jack hung up the phone he turned to his wife – his wife who was looking rather sleepy although she was looking down at the sleeping baby in her arms.

"Hey, why don't you snooze for a while? I'll take the baby," he told her. He reached down and picked up the tiny bundle – so light he barely felt the weight.

"We should call Janet and General Hammond," she said sleepily.

"Don't worry, I'll call them when we get home. For now, just rest."

He watched as Sam snuggled down and was soon out like a light. After that he sat in the chair by the bed and looked down at the tiny baby in his arms.

He had to smile as he looked at the little face – a small frown in between her brows. He wondered what she could be dreaming of to elicit such a fierce expression. It reminded him so much of Sam when she was in thinking mode that he wanted to laugh. He suspected that this little girl was going to be very much like her mother.

He leaned down and kissed her forehead, which caused her lips to move. Her mouth was bowed and pink and absolutely adorable. Jack had to laugh again, this time at himself. He was already smitten with his daughter and suspected that she would soon have him wrapped around her tiny fingers.

Jack sat and softly talked to the baby – telling her all about her amazing mother, her honorary uncles and aunts and other friends and family. He kissed her again, suddenly feeling a sense of peace and joy he hadn't felt since Charlie's death.

"I love you little one," he told her.

"And she loves her Daddy," his wife told him.

He glanced over at a now-awake Sam. "I'm sure she has no idea who I am!"

"Of course she does," Sam told him. "Just look at her. She knows she's safe in your arms – just like I am."

That earned Sam a kiss. A moment later he handed back the baby, as she was waking up and looking for dinner. Once she'd been fed – and the nurse had come in and told them they could go – they packed up their few things and headed home.

"Did you call Janet?" Sam asked once they drove away from the hospital.

"No – just Daniel and Teal'c. I kind of wanted her to meet Sg1 first. We can call her and George when we get home."

They arrived a few minutes later, to see Daniel's car already out front.

"I hope they put away the baking. I hate for everything to go to waste."

When they walked into the house it was to hear voices coming from the kitchen. Jack grinned.

"I expect they're making sure the cookies don't go to waste," he told her. He headed down the hall to find Daniel and Teal'c both munching on chocolate chip cookies, glasses of milk sitting on the counter.

"O'Neill, Major Carter!" Teal'c was the first to see them. He immediately moved to Sam and looked down at the bundle in her arms.

"Hi Teal'c, want to meet your Goddaughter?" She pulled aside the blanket that was partly obscuring the baby's face.

"She is beautiful Samantha." Teal'c stared down at the baby in awe. "Come look Daniel Jackson," he told his teammate – but Daniel was already there.

"Hey – she's gorgeous Sam. She looks just like you!"

"She's got my smile," Jack informed him proudly.

"How do you know?" Daniel wanted to know. "She's too young to smile."

Jack shrugged. "I can tell. _And_ she likes the Simpsons and hockey."

"Wishful thinking Jack," Daniel told him.

"Who wants to hold her?" Sam asked, looking at the two men who were closer to her than anyone in the world except Jack.

"I do," Daniel cried. Teal'c however, stepped forward and put out his arms.

"I believe that as the older of her Godfathers the honor should first be mine," Teal'c informed everyone.

With a laugh Sam transferred her daughter to Teal'c's waiting arms. She had to chuckle at how tiny the baby looked being held in the arms of the large man who was her friend.

"She is very tiny," Teal'c said.

"She was a pretty good weight," Jack defended. "She was over 8 lbs. She just _seems_ light to you.

"So, what's her name?" Daniel wanted to know. He continued to look at the tiny infant, asleep in Teal'c's arms.

"Her name is Elizabeth Kaylee Carter-Oneill. Elizabeth is for my mother," Sam told them.

"That's perfect, guys," Daniel said with a smile.

"It is an impressive name for you, little one," Teal'c smiled down at the baby, who was staring intently at his face.

"I call her Beth," Jack told them with a proud smile.

"Hey, my turn." Daniel put out his arms and took the baby and began to talk softly to her. She stared up at him too, her little mouth bowed as if in wonder at all she was being told.

Jack stood quietly, watching his friends admiring his daughter. He had his arm around Sam, and decided that his life couldn't get any better than it was at this moment.


	35. The End

_**Thank you all for reading, reviewing - and I hope enjoying - this little story! Now ... on to more adventures.**_

"It is good to see you O'Neill." Teal'c's voice interrupted his thoughts and Jack lifted his head to see his Jaffa friend looking at him.

"Heya Teal'c," he smiled. "It's good to see you too."

"For what reason are you at the SGC?" Teal'c asked, falling in beside Jack as he walked down the long grey corridor of the Cheyenne Mountain complex.

"Hammond called. Said to drop by for a visit so we could chew the fat."

"Chew the fat?" Teal'c glanced down at his friend and lifted his brow. "And what is the real reason?"

Jack sighed. Teasing Teal'c was so much harder now that he'd caught on to most Earth idioms. "Thor requested a meeting. He wanted to give me an update about some treaties they'd signed with a couple of new planets. Nothing serious – but it was nice to see the little guy. He's invited Sam and Beth and me to visit Othalla. He told me the Asgard would love to see the baby."

"I understand. And how is my Goddaughter, Elizabeth O'Neill?"

"She's great! Cute as a button."

"Yes, she takes after Lieutenant Colonel Carter," Teal'c deadpanned.

"Hardy har," Jack replied. "But you're right, she does. She's going to be a beauty like her Mom."

"You are most fortunate O'Neill," his friend slapped him on the back. "But you did not bring her with you today?"

"No. Cassie is babysitting. She's going to take little Miss Imp to the park."

"I too am happy to babysit at any time," Teal'c offered. "I enjoy going to the park."

Jack grinned, imagining the reaction of the other moms, dads and kids to Teal'c playing at the park with his eight month old Goddaughter. The one thing he knew, though, was that his daughter couldn't be in safer hands than with the Jaffa. "Anytime Teal'c. Beth would love it."

Jack thought back over the last year and smiled. After the baby had been born he'd decided to retire. Both Sam and the General had argued with him, telling him he'd be bored in a week. But inside he'd known it was the right decision. He'd also known that being a stay-at-home Dad would mean he would be far from bored. In fact, he'd never had so much fun!

He'd missed a good portion of Charlie's childhood and he refused to do the same with Beth. He also knew that his time in the field had been drawing to a close anyway. He'd done his duty – more than should be expected of any one person – and now it was time to enjoy his life.

Sam had also made noises about retirement, but he'd put his foot down. She was too young and had too brilliant a mind and future. She had, however, insisted on being taken out of the field and now worked only in the labs.

She'd confessed that she couldn't bear the thought of leaving Beth without her mother, as she, Sam, had been. She knew there were no guarantees, but her chances of getting killed were much higher going through the gate. She had returned to work when the baby turned six months and so far seemed to be enjoying her work.

As for Jack – well, the President had thrown a fit when he'd heard he was retiring and had almost prohibited it. It had only been Hammond's intervention – and warning that a Jack forced to do something would _not_ be an asset – that had allowed Jack to _partially_ retire. He was still on reserve and had agreed to act as liaison to Earth's allies. He'd balked at the Tokra, but was happy to continue the relationship with the Asgard, the Nox (if ever they decided to get in touch) and other friendly aliens.

The small amount of work he did allowed him to keep his security clearance and to have access to the base. He figured he had the best of both worlds.

"Have you seen Lieutenant Colonel Carter?" Teal'c asked.

And that was another good thing. His wife had been promoted! He knew that one day she'd probably make General – and he would be the proudest person in the room when that happened.

"No, not yet. I thought I'd drop in on Daniel first and then go and invite her for lunch in the Commissary at noon. Why don't you join us?"

"I shall O'Neill," Teal'c bowed his head and stood as Jack hopped on the elevator. Once the doors closed he continued to stand there for a few seconds, until a slow smile appeared on his face.

"You have done well, my friend," he said. "You have done well." With that Teal'c headed towards his quarters to once more look at the photo album of his Goddaughter.

"Hey Danny!" Jack knocked on the door of his archaeologist and linguist friend. "Whatcha up to?"

"Oh hi Jack, what are you doing here?"

"I asked first," Jack grinned.

Daniel looked down. "Nothing much. Sg7 brought back some scrolls from their latest mission and I was attempting to translate them. It looks like they're nothing more than inventory lists of crops and other goods. Pretty boring." He pushed aside the documents and swiveled his chair around to face the Colonel. "So, what about _you_?"

"Oh, just here to say hi to Thor. He was giving me a report. I just thought I'd come by and see you."

"Glad you did. How's the baby?"

Jack sighed and rolled his eyes. "Is that all anyone cares about now? I guess I'm just chopped liver!"

Daniel grinned, knowing that Jack didn't mean it. If there was ever a proud father, it was Jack O'Neill. In fact, Daniel knew that Jack would spend all his time talking about his daughter if he could.

"She's good," Jack relaxed, smiling. "Cute! She can say Mama now."

"Not Dada?"

Jack frowned. "No, but I'm teaching her. All I get is a big grin."

"That sounds pretty special."

"It is." Jack wandered over to the table and leaned his back against it. "You guys should come over this weekend. It's supposed to be nice – we'll have a picnic!"

"Sounds good. Uh – can I – bring someone?"

There was silence as Jack stared at him. A moment later Jack straightened. "A woman?"

Daniel rolled _his_ eyes. "Yes, a woman."

"Really?"

"Jack – it's no big deal. I thought I'd ask Captain Jeffries if she'd like to go with me, that's all."

"Captain – oh, you mean Nurse Laura Jeffries? The pretty brunette who always wants to take _your_ blood pressure."

" _Jaaack_!"

"Of course you can bring her," Jack said, dropping the teasing. "You need to have someone of your own Daniel. You've been alone too long."

The younger man looked down, his expression getting serious. "Yeah, I know. It's – hard. I still think about -" his voice faded and he stopped. A second later he lifted his head. "But I see how happy you and Sam are, what wonderful parents you are, and I want that for myself. I don't know if she's the one – we've only been out for coffee once –but I want to try. But please -"

"Don't worry," his best friend interrupted. "I won't bug you – at least not when she's with you. In private, I won't promise anything," he grinned.

"That's fair," Daniel returned the grin.

Jack pushed himself off the table and headed towards the door. "But you have to name your first one after me!" he said, as he left Jackson in his office.

Daniel shook his head and then chuckled. He probably would name his first child – or at least his son – after Jack. He could think of no better name-sake than the man who had saved his life and his sanity on many occasions. As he put his head down, and his mind back on his translating, he had one last thought. Teal'c was going to be jealous. Maybe he'd give his son the middle name Murray?

Jack was whistling as he made his way to Sam's lab. He'd seen her just a couple of hours before and he knew he was a sap, but he missed not having her around all the time. She made his life whole – her and Beth – and he was happiest with his family around him. And thinking of Daniel and Teal'c – and Janet, Cassie and the General – he recognized they were his family too.

In the end, it had been an alien race – long dead – that had brought him the happiness he thought he would never feel again. He spared a brief thought for those aliens and then his mind returned to the present. He no longer spent his days adventuring through the galaxy. Now his adventures were much closer to home – and even more wonderful.

Sam was thoroughly engrossed in some piece of alien technology when he got to her office. He snuck up behind her and kissed her neck. She didn't even flinch.

"You shouldn't do that Dr. Lee," she said calmly. "My husband could come by."

"Funny!" her husband snorted. He watched as Sam turned around, a big grin on her face. "You thought you could sneak up on me, did you? Well sorry – my favorite CO taught me to always be on the alert for attacks."

"Attacks, eh?"

"Mmm hmm. So?"

"So what?"

"I'm alert and ready for that attack."

"Why Samantha Carter!" he said stepping closer and wrapping his arms around the woman he loved. "And you at work!" He leaned forward and gave her a gentle kiss – full of love and caring and just a tiny bit of passion. He knew he couldn't allow too much of that – not here, not now.

"Did you see Thor?" his wife asked a few minutes later.

"I did. He says to say hi and he's extended an invitation for us all to visit Othalla. I guess the Asgard are fascinated by babies – since they can't have any of their own."

"That's sad, isn't it?"

Jack's brows lifted. "I guess, although the thought of a pregnant Asgard is a little scary. And anyway, where would the baby come -"

" _Jack!"_

"Well, it's true!"

"I know but – I don't really like to think about things like that."

"About birth?"

"No, about Asgard and birth – and sex and – you know!" She regarded him with affection. This man never ceased to amaze and amuse and excite her. She couldn't believe how lucky she was to have him in her life. And with Beth – well, things couldn't be better.

Suddenly there was a knock on the door and Sam looked up to see an Airman with a crate in his arms. "What is it Airman?"

"Uh, Dr. Felger asked me to deliver this to you," he said. "He wasn't sure what to do with it."

"Uh – okay. Did he say what it was?"

"I believe it's some pieces of ancient technology that need to go into storage. He wanted you to look at it first Ma'am."

"Fine," she sighed. "Just leave it on the table." She waited until the Airman had left, closing the door behind him. "I wonder what it is. Knowing Felger it's a pile of useless stuff that he didn't want to bother with."

"You should send it back to him, make him deal with it."

"Yeah, I probably will. He tries to get out of doing some of the more mundane tasks around here – he was always passing them off to Chloe, until I put my foot down. I expect this is his subtle means of revenge!"

"He's a twit," her husband said bluntly. "Hammond should get rid of him."

"Sometimes I think he should, but there are moments when he demonstrates some brilliance. I just wish he wasn't so _irritating_!" Sam walked over and examined the box. "I might as well take a look."

Jack watched as Sam opened the top of the box. She frowned and reached in and pulled out an object that was covered by a thick cloth.

"What the heck?" she muttered as she put it down. With a quick movement she removed the cloth – to see the alien orb that had changed their lives.

She looked quickly at Jack – her eyes big – when suddenly she heard a sound. Both of them swiveled to look at the orb, which started to glow.

"Oh shit!" Jack muttered as the light washed over Sam and then him. With his last coherent thought – as the passion grew –

"Oh well – I guess Beth could use a brother or sister."

The End …. For Now.


End file.
